Hawaii’s women’s volleyball team ranks number 2 in the Big West

Despite winning the last four conference championships, the Hawaii women’s volleyball team finished second in the Big West Preseason Coaches’ Poll released today.

Veteran setter Kate Lang and junior outside hitter Caylen Alexander were named to the seven-member Big West Women’s Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Team, also announced today.

Both were repeatedly nominated for the team.

Lang, who made the all-conference first team as a freshman and sophomore, was selected to the second team last season despite leading the Big West in total assists (1,229) and assists per set (10.5). She also won the conference’s Setter of the Week award eight times.

Alexander earned honorable mention last season after being Big West Freshman of the Year two seasons ago. She ranked second on the team and sixth in the conference with an average of 3.10 kills per set and had 16 consecutive games with double-digit kill counts.

Hawaii received three of 10 top-place finishes in the coaches poll, finishing nine votes behind Cal Poly, which received five top-place finishes.

The Mustangs, who finished second to Rainbow Wahine in last year’s regular season with a 14-4 record, did not have a senior on their roster last season.

Hawaii defeated Cal Poly in the semifinals of the inaugural Big West Conference tournament last season before sweeping host Long Beach State in the finals to advance to the NCAA tournament, where it reached the second round.

The Beach received two first-place votes and is projected to finish third this season, while UC Santa Barbara, which had a 17-1 record in conference play during the regular season to earn the top seed in the BWC Tournament, was voted fourth with one first-place vote.

UH opens its season next Friday, hosting SMU in the first game of the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Volleyball Classic.