Aug. 15, 2012

SAN BRUNO, Calif. --- With the 2012 West Coast Conference women's volleyball season set to start next week, all nine WCC head coaches were asked to predict the outcome of the season and select the members of the preseason all-conference team.

Saint Mary's College and the 19th-ranked University of San Diego each received 59 points and four first place votes to share the top spot in the preseason poll.  The Gaels finished fourth last season, while the Toreros finished second behind Pepperdine University.  This year, the Waves were chosen to finish third with 53 points and the remaining first place vote in the poll.

Brigham Young University, last year's third place finisher, was picked to finish fourth this season with 42 points, followed by the University of San Francisco with 33.  Loyola Marymount University and Santa Clara University tied for sixth with 27 points apiece, while the University of Portland and Gonzaga University rounded out the list with 13 points and 11 points, respectively.

Six of the nine schools are represented on the 2012 preseason all-conference team. Eight of the 10 preseason selections were on last year's All-WCC First Team while one was an All-WCC Freshman Team member. 

Both All-American middle hitter Chloe Ferrari and junior middle hitter Katie Hoekman were selected to the All-WCC preseason team for the Toreros.

Ferrari, a 6-1 junior from Clovis, Calif., took home All-American honors after leading the team with 355 kills and hitting for a .385 clip as a sophomore. Ferrari helped lead USD into the second round of the NCAA Tournament as they defeated No. 23 Long Beach State, 3-1, in the first round, thanks in large part to Ferrari's team-best 18 kills. Ferrari was also named first-team All-WCC after leading the team with 169 kills in WCC play, while hitting .388, second best in the WCC, and recording 57 blocks.

Hoekman, a 6-1 junior from Folsom, Calif., returns after taking home her first All-WCC accolade last season.  In 2011, Hoekman led the WCC in hitting percentage at .414, while recording 154 kills and racking up 45 blocks in WCC action. Overall, Hoekman led the team with a .369 attack percentage, while placing third in kills at 275 and she was second on the team with 104 blocks.

The Toreros open the season on the road at the Burnt Orange Classic hosted by Texas on Aug. 24 with a 12:30 p.m. match against Cal Poly.

2012 WEST COAST CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLL

TEAM (First Place Votes)	POINTS
T1. Saint Mary's (4)	59
T1. San Diego (4)	59
3. Pepperdine (1)	53
4. BYU	42
5. San Francisco	33
T6. Loyola Marymount	27
T6. Santa Clara	27
8. Portland	13
9. Gonzaga	11

 

2012 PRESEASON ALL-WEST COAST CONFERENCE TEAM

NAME	SCHOOL	YEAR	POSITION
Samantha Cash	Pepperdine	Sophomore	Middle Blocker
Chloe Ferrari	San Diego	Sophomore	Middle Hitter
Jennifer Hamson	BYU	Junior	Opposite Hitter
Katie Hoekman	San Diego	Junior	Middle Hitter
Betsi Metter	Loyola Marymount	Junior	Defensive Specialist
Jordan Shaw	Saint Mary's	Junior	Outside Hitter
Malina Terrell	San Francisco	Junior	Middle Blocker
Missy White	Saint Mary's	Senior	Setter
Kellie Woolever	Pepperdine	Junior	Setter
Valentina Zaloznik	San Francisco	Sophomore	Middle Blocker