Aug 20, 2013

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV volleyball team was predicted to finish the 2013 season in third place according to the Mountain West's Preseason Poll, while senior middle blocker Madeline Westman, a two-time all-conference selection, has been named to the preseason team.

Dating back to the MW's inaugural year of 1999, the Rebels have never been selected to finish higher than fourth place - five times in 14 seasons - in any season.

The Rebels finished the 2012 campaign with an 18-11 overall record and in third place in conference play behind a 10-6 mark. The 2013 edition returns six starters to the court - all upperclassmen. Westman, a presence on both sides of the net, will be joined by fellow seniors Stephanie Thelen (setter/outside hitter) and Sekola Falemaka (outside hitter) and juniors Katlin Winters (redshirt/middle blocker), Allison Davies (libero) and Daryn Glenn (outside hitter). Those six will be accompanied by nine newcomers and one returning letterwinner this year.

San Diego State, who earned a share of the 2012 conference title, unseated Colorado State from the top spot in this year's poll that was voted on by the league's 11 head coaches. Dating back to 2010, CSU had been chosen to finish first overall for three consecutive years.

SDSU garnered nine first-place votes and a total of 99 points to claim the top spot. The Aztecs' Johnna Fouch was tabbed the MW's Preseason Player of the Year, while filling the setter position on the league's preseason team. Fouch was joined on the team by her teammate and outside hitter Raegan Shelton.

CSU picked up 90 points and two first-place votes to claim second place in the poll. The Rams' Deedra Foss, a setter, made the preseason team.

This year is the first that the conference will field more than nine volleyball teams in any season of its existence. Dating back to the 2011 campaign, the MW has added five teams from the Western Athletic Conference. Boise State joined the league in 2011, and it was followed by Fresno State and Nevada, Reno one year later. Utah State and San Jose State are the newest additions to the conference that stretches across the Mountain and Pacific Time Zones.

After SDSU and CSU, the third through sixth slots are separated by a mere five points. UNLV is third with 70 points, while newcomer USU is fourth with 68. New Mexico and Fresno State are distanced by the slimmest of margins - one point - in fifth (66) and sixth (65), respectively. Boise State comes in seventh (51), while Wyoming (37), SJSU (27), Air Force (17) and UNR (15) round out the poll.

The remaining members of the All-MW Preseason Team are Korrin Wild (FS) and Chatale Riddle (UNM) as well as UNM's Miquella Lovato, the conference's designated setter.

The Scarlet & Gray kick off the 2013 slate with its own UNLV Invitational on Aug. 30-31. The four-team tournament will see UNLV square off against Cal State Fullerton in the home opener on Friday, Aug. 30 at 6:00 pm. The following day, they will play Portland and Kansas State at 12:00 pm and 7:00 pm, respectively.

Prior to the commencement of the regular season, the Rebels will host its second annual Scarlet & Gray Scrimmage this Saturday evening (Aug. 24) at 6:30 pm in the Cox Pavilion practice gym. Admission to the public is free.

2013 Mountain West Volleyball Preseason Poll

2013 Mountain West Volleyball Preseason Team