ISLE FILE
Hilo voted No. 1 in PacWest
Advertiser Staff
The University of Hawai'i-Hilo has been voted by Pacific West women's volleyball coaches as the preseason pick to defend its conference championship.
The Vulcans, who received six of seven first-place votes, were followed in the preseason poll by Brigham Young-Hawai'i (with the other first-place vote), Chaminade, Hawai'i Pacific, Notre Dame de Namur (Calif.), Grand Canyon (Ariz.) and Dixie State (Utah).
The Vulcans finished with a 14-0 record in the PacWest and 23-5 overall last season, but were not selected for the NCAA Division II National Tournament. This year, the PacWest has been awarded an automatic qualifier to the nationals.
"The level of competition in the conference is such that any of the teams can beat anybody on any night," said second-year Hawai'i-Hilo head coach Bruce Atkinson. "Last year, there were two matches we should have lost but were fortunate to have pulled out."
Chaminade's Trina Kauliakamoa, a senior outside hitter from Las Vegas, was named the PacWest's Preseason Player of the Year. Kauliakamoa, a two-time All-PacWest first-team member, averaged 3.67 kills and 0.52 aces per game last year.
Kauliakamoa is joined on the preseason first team by Chaminade setter Tanya Alvino, Grand Canyon outside hitter Dana Edington and three Hawai'i-Hilo players — outside hitter Josimara Pinheiro, middle hitter Fabiane Seben and defensive specialist Laura Rodriguez.
