August 1, 2007

Mustangs take top preseason billing
Cal Poly is picked to finish first in the Big West Conference’s preseason coaches’ poll

After a banner 2006 season that ended with a second-round defeat in the NCAA Tournament, the Cal Poly volleyball team was picked to finish first in the Big West Conference 2007 preseason coaches’ poll released Tuesday.

The Mustangs, who finished 23-6 overall and 13-1 in Big West play last season, garnered eight of the nine first-place votes and 80 points to run away with the honor.

“I think that it’s a nice affirmation that some good things have taken place here,” third-year Cal Poly coach Jon Stevenson said, “and the prospects for the future are bright. However, the focus is on our practice. We can’t wait to start practice, and we can’t wait to start making improvements on where we left off.”

Practice begins Aug. 8 on a Mott Gym floor that was replaced in the offseason, Stevenson said. If the program does not finalize plans for a public scrimmage in time, the unveiling will wait until the Mustangs’ home opener against Long Beach State on Sept. 21.

The 49ers were tabbed to finish second in the Big West after receiving the only stray first-place vote and 70 points. They were followed by UC Irvine, the only conference team to beat Cal Poly last season, and UC Santa Barbara in a two-way tie for third with 56 points.

Cal State Northridge (48) was fifth, and Cal State Fullerton and Pacific tied for sixth with 33. In its first season as a full-fledged Big West member, UC Davis (19) was picked eighth, and UC Riverside (10) was selected ninth.

The Mustangs open their season on the road Aug. 24 at the Wichita State Invitational against Kansas State before non-conference matches against defending national champion Nebraska and runner-up Stanford.

But before then should come news of Cal Poly’s placement in the preseason CSTV/AVCA Top 25 coaches’ poll, where Stevenson estimates his Mustangs will be highly regarded.

“I’d be shocked if we were anything (worse than) 17,” he said. “And if I were to predict, I think we’ll be ranked probably 14th in the national poll.

“We’re viewed as one of the preeminent programs now, and we need to back it up.”