BYU chosen to finish fourth in WCC preseason poll

SAN BRUNO, Calif. --- In its first year in the West Coast Conference, the BYU women’s tennis team was chosen to finish fourth in the 2012 WCC preseason poll, as voted on by the conference coaches.

Defending WCC Champion No. 26 Pepperdine tallied 59 points and four first place votes to finish first in the poll. The Waves narrowly edged out No. 41 Saint Mary’s, which earned 57 points and three first place votes. No. 32 San Diego received the remaining two first-place votes and took third in the standings.

Newcomer BYU received 41 points while No. 71 Santa Clara followed closely behind with 39.

Loyola Marymount took sixth with 24 points, while San Francisco, Portland and Gonzaga rounded out the rest of the coaches’ poll.

The women's preseason all-conference team was distributed among four teams. Pepperdine claimed two on the list in sophomore Ale Granillo and junior Arianna Colffer. Colffer made the 2011 All-WCC First Team last season.

Also on the 2011 All-WCC First Team, Saint Mary's junior Catherin Isip joins sophomore Jenny Jullien to represent Saint Mary’s on the preseason all-conference team.

The remaining two spots belong to San Diego's Stephanie Hoffpauir and Santa Clara's Katie Le, both of whom were 2011 All-WCC Second Team honorees.

The Cougars kick off WCC play March 27 when they take on Santa Clara at home.

2012 WCC Women's Tennis Preseason Poll

1. Pepperdine - 59 (4)
2. Saint Mary's - 57 (3)
3. San Diego - 54 (2)
4. BYU - 41
5. Santa Clara - 39
6. Loyola Marymount - 24
7. San Francisco - 22
8. Portland - 15
9. Gonzaga - 13
 

2012 Preseason All-Conference Team

Ale Granillo, PEP
Arianna Colffer, PEP
Catherine Isip, SMC
Jenny Jullien, SMC
Katie Le, SCU
Stephanie Hoffpauir, USD