SAN MATEO, Calif. – LMU beach volleyball earned six first-place votes to claim the top spot in the annual West Coast Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. The Lions also garnered five student-athletes on the preseason team with Pepperdine next with four.
 
LMU totaled 36 points while Pepperdine was second with one first-place vote and 31 points. Saint Mary’s was third with 26 points and was followed by Santa Clara (21 points), Pacific (13), San Francisco (12) and Portland (8).

Last spring, the Lions won their second WCC title after winning the 2019 WCC title, as well. They were picked to finish first in the 2020 preseason poll, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
The coaches poll and preseason All-WCC team were selected solely by a vote of the conference's seven head coaches. Coaches cannot vote for their own teams and student-athletes.
 
Three of the 2022 All-WCC preseason honorees previously earned a spot on the 2021 All-WCC Beach Volleyball First Team – Pepperdine’s Melanie Paul and the LMU duo of Megan Rice and Reka Orsi Toth.
 
2022 WCC Beach Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll
Team (First Place Votes)     Score
LMU (6)                                   36
Pepperdine (1)                        31
Saint Mary’s                            26
Santa Clara                             21
Pacific                                     13
San Francisco                         12
Portland                                   8
 
2022 All-WCC Preseason Beach Volleyball Team
Macy Gordon, LMU
Marine Kinna, LMU
Melanie Paul, Pepperdine
Avery Poppinga, LMU
Simone Priebe, Pepperdine
Megan Rice, LMU
Michelle Shaffer, Santa Clara
Madison Shields, Pepperdine
Mckenna Thomas, Pepperdine
Reka Orsi Toth, LMU