DAVIS, Calif. — Coming off a challenging, competitive campaign and a tie for eighth in the Big West Conference standings in 2021, the UC Davis women's volleyball team was picked to finish seventh in the chase for the league crown in 2022, according to a vote of the conference's head coaches released on Monday.
The Aggies received 46 total points to finish just behind CSU Bakersfield with 47 points in sixth and out-pace eighth-place UC San Diego, which picked up 37 total points. Defending Big West champion Hawai'i was tabbed as the favorite to repeat, receiving six of the possible 11 first-place votes and 96 total points to edge second-place UC Santa Barbara with 94 points and the remaining five first-place votes. Cal Poly was picked third with 79 points.
Long Beach State finished fourth with 75 points, while UC Irvine earned the fifth spot with 61 points. Rounding out the 11-team poll, Cal State Fullerton finished with 36 points, CSUN with 24 points, and UC Riverside with 10 points.
Eager to return to the court ahead of its season opener against UT Arlington on Aug. 26 in Missoula, Montana, the Aggies posted a 11-20 overall record and a 7-13 mark in Big West play last year, including wins over UC Santa Barbara and Long Beach State.
UC Davis returns several key players with starting experience from the 2021 squad to the floor in 2022, led by 2021 All-Big West first-team honorees
Josephine Ough (2.20 kills per set and 1.29 blocks per set) and
Olivia Utterback (2.71 kills per set and a .274 hitting percentage).
Following a season-opening, five-game road stretch featuring UT Arlington, North Dakota, Montana, No. 19 Oregon and Rice, the Aggies welcome in rival Sacramento State for the home opener on Sept. 5 at University Credit Union Center.
After battling the Hornets, UC Davis will face arguably its toughest opponent of the season in No. 2 Texas in Austin, Texas. Along with the Ducks and the Longhorns, the Aggies are scheduled to face one other team among those receiving votes in the preseason AVCA poll in Hawai'i.
The Aggies will open conference play at home on Sept. 20, facing UC Riverside.
2022 BIG WEST CONFERENCE PRESEASON WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL COACHES POLL
- Hawai'i – 96 points (6 first-place votes)
- UC Santa Barbara – 94 (5 first-place votes)
- Cal Poly – 79
- Long Beach State – 75
- UC Irvine – 61
- CSU Bakersfield – 47
- UC Davis – 46
- UC San Diego – 37
- Cal State Fullerton – 36
- CSUN – 24
- UC Riverside – 10
