BYU chosen second in MPSF Preseason Poll
PROVO, Utah – The BYU men’s volleyball team collected 134 points and two of the 13 possible first-place votes to take the No. 2 spot in the 2013 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
UC Irvine finished in the top spot with 143 points and 11 first-place votes. The nine-point separation (143-134) between UCI and BYU ties for the second largest gap between the top-two teams in the history of the poll, while the first-place vote difference of nine (11-2) is the largest ever.
The Cougars are coming off a 24-win season last year and a second-place tie in the MPSF. BYU returns all-conference honorees Russ Lavaja, Josue Rivera and Taylor Sander. The team consists of eight talented newcomers to compliment a core of 12 returning players.
BYU's 2013 season begins Jan. 4 when the Cougars welcome Hawaii to the Smith Fieldhouse.
Rank | Team | Points (First-Place Votes) | 2011 Record | 2012 MPSF Finish |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | UC Irvine | 143 (11) | 26-5 Overall; 17-5 MPSF | #4 (MPSF/NCAA Champion) |
2 | BYU | 134 (2) | 24-7 Overall; 17-5 MPSF | #2T (MPSF Semifinal) |
3 | Pepperdine | 113 | 14-14 Overall; 9-13 MPSF | #7 (MPSF Quarterfinal) |
4 | Stanford | 110 | 22-5 Overall; 17-5 MPSF | #2T (MPSF Final) |
5 | UCLA | 94 | 22-8 Overall; 16-6 MPSF | #5 (MPSF Quarterfinal) |
6 | Long Beach State | 85 | 15-15 Overall; 10-12 MPSF | #6 (MPSF Quarterfinal) |
7 | USC | 83 | 24-6 Overall; 18-4 MPSF | #1 (MPSF/NCAA Finals) |
8 | CS Northridge | 61 | 12-18 Overall; 8-14 MPSF | #8 (MPSF Quarterfinal) |
9 | UC Santa Barbara | 55 | 7-19 Overall; 5-17 MPSF | #10T |
10 | Cal Baptist | 49 | 12-16 Overall;1st Year MPSF | N/A |
11 | Pacific | 35 | 8-20 Overall; 5-17 MPSF | #10T |
12 | Hawaii | 30 | 7-20 Overall; 4-18 MPSF | #12 |
13 | UC San Diego | 22 | 9-19 Overall; 6-16 MPSF | #9 |
Recent Stories
No. 6 BYU to host No. 8 Stanford in final two matches of the regular season
No. 6 BYU men’s volleyball returns to the Smith Fieldhouse after a bye week to face MPSF opponent Stanford for its…
Browne named Off the Block's National Opposite of the Week
Junior opposite hitter Kupono Browne was named Off the Block's National Opposite of the Week after leading the Cougars…