Northern Colorado Picked As #BigSkyVB Preseason Favorite
FARMINGTON, Utah (July 22, 2020) – Northern Colorado has been picked as the unanimous favorite by the Big Sky volleyball coaches to win the conference in 2020. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their team.
UNC received 10 first-place votes for a total of 100 points, the most you can receive in the poll.
“We are honored to be picked #1. We have a lot of returners and add some great freshmen recruits and a transfer as well,” said Northern Colorado Head Coach Lyndsey Oates. “Based on our success in the conference last year, we may have earned a preseason #1, but we know that each year is different. There are so many factors that go into a successful season that are even enhanced this year. We have a very special group of athletes that can accomplish great things this year if given the chance.”
The Bears are coming off a 2019 campaign where they were the regular-season champions after going 19-1 in conference play. UNC followed their regular season performance up with a Big Sky Tournament title and a bid to the NCAA Tournament.
UNC is returning three key players to its 2020 roster, including the reigning Big Sky MVP and a first-team all-conference selection in Daisy Schutz. Schultz led the conference last season in assists and averaged 11.47 per set to rank 12
th nationally. The setter was also an all-tournament selection in 2019.
Also joining Schultz is last year’s Big Sky All-Tournament MVP and first-team all-conference member Kailey Jo Ince. Ince was instrumental for the Bears during her sophomore season and had a .273 hitting percentage with a kill per set average of 3.85. The outside hitter totaled 508 kills and had 47 blocks in 2019.
Senior Taylor Muff will also return for her senior season with the Bears. Muff was a first-team all-conference and an all-tournament team selection a year ago.
Tied at second in the preseason poll are Weber State and Northern Arizona with 86 points each.
Weber State is looking to build off of their best season in 31 years, which included an appearance in the Big Sky Tournament Championship match and a berth into the NIVC Tournament, where they made a run to the quarterfinals.
The Wildcats return the 2019 Big Sky Freshman of the Year Dani Nay, who was also a first-team all-conference selection last season. Nay, an outside hitter, averaged 3.52 kills per set and had a .252 hitting percentage in 2019.
Ashlyn Power rejoins the Wildcat’s squad for her final season. The senior setter was second in the conference with 10.95 assists per set average and was a 2019 first-team all-conference selection and named to the all-tournament team.
The Lumberjacks lost some key players to graduation, but they do return Heaven Harris, who is a two-time first-team All-Big Sky selection. Harris averaged 3.14 kills per set in 2019 and had a .314 hitting percentage which was fourth-best on the team.
Taylor Jacobsen will also join Harris in returning for the Lumberjacks after a successful freshman season that earned her second-team all-conference honors.
Montana State and Sacramento State were both picked to finish fourth and fifth in the poll as five points separated the two teams. The Bobcats received 69 points while the Hornets received 64.
Idaho finished in sixth place with 50 points, and Portland State and Montana both finished tied for seventh with 40 points apiece.
Southern Utah (38 points) was picked to finish ninth with Idaho State (19 points) picked 10
th, and Eastern Washington (13 points) picked 11
th to round out the remaining spots in the preseason poll.
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| 2020 Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll |
| 1. |
Northern Colorado (10) |
100 |
| T2. |
Northern Arizona (1) |
86 |
| T2. |
Weber State |
86 |
| 4. |
Montana State |
69 |
| 5. |
Sacramento State |
64 |
| 6. |
Idaho |
50 |
| T7. |
Portland State |
40 |
| T7. |
Montana |
40 |
| 9. |
Southern Utah |
38 |
| 10. |
Idaho State |
19 |
| 11. |
Eastern Washington |
13 |