IRVINE, Calif. – The PacWest Conference volleyball coaches voted Hawai'i Pacific University to finish seventh in the annual Preseason Volleyball Poll announced on Wednesday. The group also tabbed outside hitter Perla Escobar as Preseason All-PacWest.
 
The Sharks, who are coming off a 13-15 season, fifth in the PacWest at 12-10 in 2018, received 83 total points in the poll for seventh, four points behind Concordia Irvine in sixth with 87 points and 22 in front of Dominican (Calif.) in eighth.
 
Defending champion Azusa Pacific was voted to repeat its title in 2019 with 10 of the 12 first place votes and 142 points. Chaminade was selected second with 124 points and a first place vote, while Biola received a first place vote and was third with 115 points. Point Loma comes in fourth with 107 points and Hawai'i Hilo fifth with 94 points.
 
After Concordia, HPU and Dominican, Notre Dame de Namur is slated ninth with 43 points, Fresno Pacific 10th with 33 points, Academy of Art 11th with 30 points and Holy Names 12th with 27 points.
 
Escobar, a 5-9 senior from Calexico, Calif./Calexico, is one of seven student-athletes named to the Preseason All-PacWest Conference team. A Third Team All-PacWest performer in 2017, Escobar struggled through injuries in 2018, collecting 177 kills (2.57 per set) to go with 200 digs (2.90 per set), nine blocks and 18 service aces. In 2018, Escobar led the Sharks with 264 kills (2.90 per set) with a .217 attack percentage.
 
Leading the team is Azusa Pacific senior Julianne Miller as Preseason Player of the Year, Point Loma senior Cara Keturakis as Preseason Setter of the Year and Biola junior Sami Hover as Libero of the Year.
 
Also selected Preseason All-PacWest are Azusa Pacific senior middle blocker Sara Wagenveld, Chaminade senior outside hitters Emma Tecklenburg and Alana Handy, and UH Hilo junior outside hitter Bria Beale
 
The Sharks open the 2019 season by co-hosting the Hawai'i Challenge Sept. 5-7. HPU's opening match is Friday, Sept. 6 at 10 a.m. against West Virginia State at The Shark Tank – the former Saint Francis School Gym, and follows with a match against Chico State at 7 p.m. On Sept. 7 HPU faces Sonoma State at 3:30 p.m. and Minot State at 7:30 p.m.
   
2019 PAC WEST CONFERENCE PRESEASON VOLLEYBALL POLL
1. Azusa Pacific (10) 142
2. Chaminade (1) 124
3. Biola (1) 115
4. Point Loma 107
5. Hawai'i Hilo 94
6. Concordia Irvine 87
7. Hawai'i Pacific 83
8. Dominican 51
9. Notre Dame de Namur 43
10. Fresno Pacific 33
11. Academy of Art 30
12. Holy Names 27
 
 

2019 PRESEASON ALL-PACWEST VOLLEYBALL AWARDS
Player of the Year	Setter of the Year	Libero of the Year
Julianne Miller Azusa Pacific	Cara Keturakis Point Loma	Sami Hover Biola

 
 

2019 PRESEASON ALL-PACWEST VOLLEYBALL TEAM
Name	School	Pos.	Yr.	Hometown/Previous School
Bria Beale	Hawai`i Hilo	OH	Jr.	Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./UC Irvine
Perla Escobar	Hawai`i Pacific	OH	Sr.	Calexico, Calif./Calexico
Alana Handy	Chaminade	OH	Sr.	Burlington, Wash./Burlington-Edison
Cara Keturakis	Point Loma	S	Sr.	Surrey, Canada/Earl Marriott Secondary
Julianne Miller	Azusa Pacific	MB	Sr.	Rocklin, Calif./Rocklin
Emma Tecklenburg	Chaminade	OH	Sr.	Plano, Texas/Plano Senior
Sara Wagenveld	Azusa Pacific	MB	Sr.	Escondido, Calif./Calvin Christian