SAN BRUNO, Calif. – The Pepperdine University women's tennis team has been selected to win the West Coast Conference crown for the upcoming 2019 season, the league office announced Wednesday. The annual preseason poll was voted on by the league coaches and ranks the ten-team field and top six players to start the campaign.
Pepperdine is the unanimous selection to win, garnering nine first place votes as conference policy prohibits coaches from casting a vote for their own team. The Waves again collected 81 points to take the top spot, a year after winning their sixth straight WCC Championship and 14th title in the last 16 years. Waves junior Ashley Lahey and sophomore Evgeniya Levashova are represented on the seven-person All-WCC Preseason team. Levashova was the 2018 WCC Co-Freshman of the Year.
Loyola Marymount collected 71 points and was picked to finish second in the conference preseason poll. Sophomores Veronica Miroshnichenko and Eva Marie Voracek represent the Lions on the All-WCC Preseason Women’s Team. Miroshnichenko was the WCC Co-Freshman of the Year alongside Levashova of Pepperdine.
Gonzaga collected earned the final first-place vote and was third overall with 62 points. Senior Sophie Whittle was selected to the All-WCC Preseason team after a fall that saw her claim the ITA/Riviera All-American Championship.
San Diego and Saint Mary’s rounded out the top half of the poll with the Toreros sitting fourth with 54 points and the Gaels fifth with 53 points. Gaels sophomore Mariia Kozyreva was selected to the All-WCC Preseason team.
Brigham Young (42 points), Santa Clara (36 points), Portland (20 points), San Francisco (16 points) and Pacific (15 points) claim the sixth through tenth spots, respectively, to fill out the preseason poll. Santa Clara’s Madison Clarke claimed the final spot on the All-WCC Preseason team.
A total of seven women were selected to the preseason team due to a tie in voting.
The 2019 WCC Women’s Tennis Championship will take place at the Biszantz Family Tennis Center in Claremont, Calif., April 25-27.
2019 WEST COAST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TENNIS PRESEASON POLL
Team (First Place Votes) Points
1. Pepperdine (9) 81
2. Loyola Marymount 71
3. Gonzaga (1) 62
4. San Diego 54
5. Saint Mary’s 53
6. Brigham Young 42
7. Santa Clara 36
8. Portland 20
9. San Francisco 16
10. Pacific 15
2019 ALL-WCC PRESEASON WOMEN’S TENNIS TEAM
Madison Clarke, Santa Clara, Sr.
Mariia Kozyreva, Saint Mary’s,
Ashley Lahey, Pepperdine, Jr.
Evgeniya Levashova, Pepperdine, Soph.
Veronica Miroshnichenko, Loyola Marymount, Soph.
Eva Marie Voracek, Loyola Marymount, Soph.
Sophie Whittle, Gonzaga, Sr.
*Seven members due to a tie in voting