FARMINGTON, Utah (August 18, 2021) – The league’s head coaches have selected the Weber State volleyball program as the favorite to repeat as #BigSkyVB champions in the 2021 Big Sky Volleyball Coaches’ Poll. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.
“It just means we're returning a lot of players from last season,” said Weber State head coach Jeremiah Larsen. “We are bringing everybody back, except for one player so, of course, it means that a lot of coaches respect what we had last year and what we're bringing this year.”
The Wildcats received 10 first-place votes and 100 points in the poll putting them at number one.
WSU returned their four first-team All-Big Sky selections from last season to this year’s roster, including Rylin Adams, the Big Sky MVP a year ago. Adams will join sophomore Dani Nay and fellow seniors Sam Schiess and Aslyn Power as they look to help the Wildcats repeat as Big Sky Champions in 2021.
Northern Arizona was selected to finish second place in the preseason poll with 86 points and received Weber State’s first-place vote.
The Lumberjacks are coming off a 2020 campaign that resulted in a fourth-place finish and an exit in the semifinals at the Big Sky Championship. NAU brings back Taylor Jacobson for her junior season after a 2020 season that earned her All-Big Sky first-team honors.
Northern Colorado was selected to finish third place with 83 points coming in three points behind the Lumberjacks.
The Bears return last season’s Top Newcomer and second-team All-Big Sky selection Rachel Hickman back to this season’s roster. She will be joined by first-team selections Daisy Schultz and Lauren Hinrichs, who return for their senior seasons.
Montana State was picked to finish in fourth place with 73 points, Sacramento State was selected to finish fifth with 67 points, and Portland State received 50 points for a projected finish of sixth place.
Southern Utah and Idaho each received 38 points in the poll to tie for seventh place.
Eastern Washington received 36 points and was picked ninth, while Idaho State was picked 10th after garnering 18 points. Montana was selected to finish 11th by the coaches and totaled 16 points.
The 2021 #BigSkyVB season gets underway this year on August 27 and will culminate with the Big Sky Volleyball Championship held on the campus of Weber State on November 18-20.
Follow the Big Sky on social media for up-to-date information. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @BigSkyConf and Facebook at /BigSkyConf. For volleyball-specific news, be sure to follow us on Twitter @BigSkyVB throughout the 2021 season.
| 2021 #BigSkyVB Preseason Poll |
| 1. |
Weber State (10) |
100 |
| 2. |
Northern Arizona (1) |
86 |
| 3. |
Northern Colorado |
83 |
| 4. |
Montana State |
73 |
| 5. |
Sacramento State |
67 |
| 6. |
Portland State |
50 |
| T7. |
Southern Utah |
38 |
| T7. |
Idaho |
38 |
| 9. |
Eastern Washington |
36 |
| 10. |
Idaho State |
18 |
| 11. |
Montana |
16 |