CBU Named Preseason Favorite for First Time in PacWest Poll

It should be a hotly-contested race for a PacWest Championship yet again in 2015, as evidenced from how the conference's preseason poll went. Out of the pack, California Baptist University has been picked out by its peers as the favorite to win the conference. It is the first time in the Lancers' going-on-five-year PacWest membership they have been picked to win the conference. Four of the PacWest's 14 teams received at least three first-place votes, but CBU rose above the rest in being crowned the preseason favorite with 176 points and three first-place nods. Point Loma finished just four points behind the Lancers in the second spot with 172 points and three first-place votes. BYU-Hawaii (169) and Dixie State (152) each receive four first-place votes to round out the top-four. Lauren Hackett was voted to the All-PacWest Preseason Team for CBU. The sophomore is looking to build on a phenomenal freshman campaign in which she earned Freshman of the Year honors from the PacWest and in the West Region and Division II overall, as determined by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). In addition to Hackett, the Lancers return two other all-conference players from last season in setter Jordyn Siko and middle blocker Jessica Harris. Despite only losing two players from its regular rotation in 2014, CBU bolstered its depth with four new recruits. It has been noticed by not only the PacWest but the division overall, as the Lancers were receiving votes in the AVCA's NCAA Division II Top 25 Preseason Poll, which was released on Aug. 18th. For the second year in a row, CBU will open up at Cal State East Bay's Route 92 Tournament, followed by a trip to Seattle Pacific for the GNAC-PacWest Crossover. The Lancers open up the conference and home season simultaneously when they host Dixie State at 7 p.m. on Sept. 18.