SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – After reaching the NCAA Final Four last season, San Diego garnered the top spot in the annual WCC Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll as announced on Wednesday. The Toreros went unbeaten in Conference play in 2022 and look to keep that momentum rolling when the 2023 season begins on Friday.
The preseason poll and the All-WCC team were selected solely by a vote of the conference’s nine head coaches. Coaches cannot vote for their own teams and student-athletes.
USD enters the season ranked No. 13 in the preseason AVCA Coaches Poll. The Toreros amassed 63 points in the coaches balloting, including seven first-place votes.
One of the WCC's four NCAA Tournament participants last season, Pepperdine came in second in the preseason poll with 57 points and two first-place votes.
LMU checks in at third with 50 points. The Lions hope to return to the NCAA Tournament in 2023 like the Toreros and the Waves.
On the preseason team, Pepperdine and LMU boasted the most with four each, while San Diego and Pacific claimed three. Santa Clara picked up two honorees and Saint Mary's featured one. The preseason team normally consists of 16 members, but this year's team features 17 players due to ties in voting.
Among the Waves on the preseason team is the 2022 WCC Freshman of the Year Emily Hellmuth. In addition to Hellmuth, seven other preseason honorees picked up all-conference first-team honors last season - Isabella Bareford (LMU), Leyla Blackwell (USD), Meg Brown (PEP), Grace Chillingworth (PEP), Kari Geissberger (LMU). Biamba Kabengele (PAC) and Jacquelyn Moore (LMU).
Bareford, Blackwell, Brown, Alexa Edwards (PAC) and Geissberger garnered WCC preseason team honors last year. This is the third year in a row that Brown and Geissberger have earned WCC preseason team accolades.
Fans can catch WCC volleyball action this season on ESPN+ as the conference
announced its expanded relationship with the network last week.
2023 WCC Volleyball Preseason Poll
| Place |
Team |
First Place |
Points |
| 1. |
No. 13 San Diego |
7 |
63 |
| 2. |
Pepperdine |
2 |
57 |
| 3. |
LMU |
|
50 |
| 4. |
Pacific |
|
35 |
| 4. |
Saint Mary's |
|
35 |
| 6. |
Santa Clara |
|
31 |
| 7. |
San Francisco |
|
24 |
| 8. |
Gonzaga |
|
17 |
| 9. |
Portland |
|
12 |
| 2023 All-WCC Volleyball Preseason Team |
| Name |
Institution |
Yr. |
Pos. |
| Genevieve Bane |
Saint Mary's |
So. |
OH |
| Isabella Bareford |
LMU |
Sr. |
S |
| Leyla Blackwell |
San Diego |
Sr. |
MB |
| Meg Brown |
Pepperdine |
Sr. |
MB |
| Grace Chillingworth |
Pepperdine |
Jr. |
OH |
| Ramonni Cook |
Pacific |
Sr. |
OH |
| Alexa Edwards |
Pacific |
Sr. |
OH |
| Kari Geissberger |
LMU |
Sr. |
OH |
| Kat Georgiadis |
Santa Clara |
Jr. |
DS |
| Emily Hellmuth |
Pepperdine |
So. |
OH |
| Biamba Kabengele |
Pacific |
Sr. |
OH |
| Jacquelyn Moore |
LMU |
Jr. |
MB |
| Lia Okammor |
Santa Clara |
So. |
MB |
| Riley Patterson |
Pepperdine |
Sr. |
LB |
| Michelle Shaffer |
LMU |
Sr. |
S/OPP/OH |
| Amber Stivrins |
San Diego |
Sr. |
OH |
| Haylee Stoner |
San Diego |
Jr. |
MB |