Griz volleyball picked third in preseason poll
8/9/2007 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
The University of Montana volleyball team was picked for a third-place league finish by the Big Sky Conference coaches the BSC office announced Thursday. Sacramento State, the defending regular-season and post-season tournament champion, was a unanimous choice to win the league. The Hornets are the preseason favorite for the fifth time in six years.
After being picked for a seventh-place finish in the 2006 preseason poll, the Grizzlies went 9-7 and placed fourth, making their first Big Sky tournament since the 2000 season.
"We're certainly honored and humbled to have everyone think that highly of us at this point," second-year Montana coach Jerry Wagner said. "There are a lot of unknowns with just about every team right now, and we're no different. Most teams have the capability of turning things around, much like we did last year.
"We're flattered, and we want to prove it to ourselves and everyone else that we are capable of that type of finish. We hope to prove the coaches right and then some."
Sacramento State (30-6, 15-1 BSC in 2006) picked up all eight first-place votes for 64 points. Portland State (21-7, 14-2 BSC), which finished second to the Hornets in 2006's regular season, got the nod at second with 53 points.
The Vikings were trailed by the Grizzlies (12-15, 9-7 BSC) with 48 points, Weber State (9-24, 5-11 BSC) with 36 points, Eastern Washington (20-9, 10-6 BSC) with 33 points and Northern Arizona (8-18, 4-12 BSC) with 32 points.
Idaho State (10-20, 5-11 BSC) with 22 points, Northern Colorado (13-16, 7-9 BSC) with 19 points and Montana State (7-20, 3-13 BSC) with 17 points rounded out spots seven through nine in the poll.
Sacramento State (No. 1 seed), Portland State (No. 2), Eastern Washington (No. 3), Montana (No. 4), Northern Colorado (No. 5) and Weber State (No. 6) made the 2006 Big Sky Tournament. EWU and UNC won their quarterfinal matches, followed by the Hornets downing the Bears and the Eagles upsetting the Vikings in the semifinals.
Sac State won the title match in four games over Eastern Washington to gain the league's automatic bid to the 2006 NCAA Tournament. The Hornets lost their first-round match-up at Stanford in three games.
The Griz open their season August 24-25 at the Ruby's Montana Invitational. UM will face UC Irvine, Canisius and Gonzaga in the round-robin tournament.
Big Sky Conference play starts Thursday, Sept. 13, when Montana plays at Northern Colorado.
The 2007 Big Sky Conference Volleyball Tournament will be held Friday and Saturday, Nov. 23-24, at Sacramento, Calif.
After being picked for a seventh-place finish in the 2006 preseason poll, the Grizzlies went 9-7 and placed fourth, making their first Big Sky tournament since the 2000 season.
"We're certainly honored and humbled to have everyone think that highly of us at this point," second-year Montana coach Jerry Wagner said. "There are a lot of unknowns with just about every team right now, and we're no different. Most teams have the capability of turning things around, much like we did last year.
"We're flattered, and we want to prove it to ourselves and everyone else that we are capable of that type of finish. We hope to prove the coaches right and then some."
Sacramento State (30-6, 15-1 BSC in 2006) picked up all eight first-place votes for 64 points. Portland State (21-7, 14-2 BSC), which finished second to the Hornets in 2006's regular season, got the nod at second with 53 points.
The Vikings were trailed by the Grizzlies (12-15, 9-7 BSC) with 48 points, Weber State (9-24, 5-11 BSC) with 36 points, Eastern Washington (20-9, 10-6 BSC) with 33 points and Northern Arizona (8-18, 4-12 BSC) with 32 points.
Idaho State (10-20, 5-11 BSC) with 22 points, Northern Colorado (13-16, 7-9 BSC) with 19 points and Montana State (7-20, 3-13 BSC) with 17 points rounded out spots seven through nine in the poll.
Sacramento State (No. 1 seed), Portland State (No. 2), Eastern Washington (No. 3), Montana (No. 4), Northern Colorado (No. 5) and Weber State (No. 6) made the 2006 Big Sky Tournament. EWU and UNC won their quarterfinal matches, followed by the Hornets downing the Bears and the Eagles upsetting the Vikings in the semifinals.
Sac State won the title match in four games over Eastern Washington to gain the league's automatic bid to the 2006 NCAA Tournament. The Hornets lost their first-round match-up at Stanford in three games.
The Griz open their season August 24-25 at the Ruby's Montana Invitational. UM will face UC Irvine, Canisius and Gonzaga in the round-robin tournament.
Big Sky Conference play starts Thursday, Sept. 13, when Montana plays at Northern Colorado.
The 2007 Big Sky Conference Volleyball Tournament will be held Friday and Saturday, Nov. 23-24, at Sacramento, Calif.
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