UC Irvine Tabbed Third In Big West Preseason Poll
December 28, 2018 | Men's Volleyball
IRVINE, Calif. – UC Irvine was picked to finish third in the annual Big West Coaches Preseason Poll released Friday.
The Anteaters finished in third with 26 points. Long Beach State was a unanimous choice to win the 2019 Big West championship with all six first-place votes and 36 points followed by Hawai'i in second place with 28 points. UC Santa Barbara (16 points), CSUN (11) and UC San Diego (9) rounded out the poll.
UCI brings back four All-Americans from last year's 21-10 club which made the program's seventh NCAA Tournament appearance.
Middle blocker Scott Stadick earned second team AVCA All-American honors after finishing No. 2 in the nation in blocks per set (1.32) and No. 3 in hitting percentage (.422). Fellow frontline teammate, opposite Karl Apfelbach, also garnered second team recognition from the AVCA. A pair of Anteater outside hitters, Aaron Koubi and Joel Schneidmiller earned honorable mention distinction.
The 2019 season gets underway on Friday, Jan, 4 when UCI will face No. 9 Loyola-Chicago.
2019 COACHES POLL
1. Long Beach State (6) 36
2. Hawai'i - 28
3. UC Irvine - 26
4. UC Santa Barbara - 16
5. CSUN - 11
6. UC San Diego - 9
( ) First-place vote
The Anteaters finished in third with 26 points. Long Beach State was a unanimous choice to win the 2019 Big West championship with all six first-place votes and 36 points followed by Hawai'i in second place with 28 points. UC Santa Barbara (16 points), CSUN (11) and UC San Diego (9) rounded out the poll.
UCI brings back four All-Americans from last year's 21-10 club which made the program's seventh NCAA Tournament appearance.
Middle blocker Scott Stadick earned second team AVCA All-American honors after finishing No. 2 in the nation in blocks per set (1.32) and No. 3 in hitting percentage (.422). Fellow frontline teammate, opposite Karl Apfelbach, also garnered second team recognition from the AVCA. A pair of Anteater outside hitters, Aaron Koubi and Joel Schneidmiller earned honorable mention distinction.
The 2019 season gets underway on Friday, Jan, 4 when UCI will face No. 9 Loyola-Chicago.
2019 COACHES POLL
1. Long Beach State (6) 36
2. Hawai'i - 28
3. UC Irvine - 26
4. UC Santa Barbara - 16
5. CSUN - 11
6. UC San Diego - 9
( ) First-place vote
Players Mentioned
OPP
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