Big West Volleyball capsules

A look at the teams based on preseason poll (current record in parenthesis):

1. Hawaii (10-1): After winning at least a share of the conference title in 19 consecutive seasons, the 11th-ranked Rainbow Wahine were the runners-up for the first time since 1994. Hawaii was a near-unanimous pick to regain the crown (eight of nine first-place votes) and, based on the preseason results, that prediction is legit.

The Rainbow Wahine continue to be a work in progress as coach Dave Shoji (41st season) tries to assimilate the talented newcomers into the system. Junior college All-American middle Annie Mitchem and freshmen hitters McKenna Granato and Casey Castillo have done well in limited playing time but the issue is trying to break into the solid returning lineup.

Hawaii’s strength is its blocking where the Wahine are No. 5 nationally in blocks per set (3.16 bps) and lead the country in block assists (226). Leading the way is senior middle Olivia Magill, fifth at 1.59 bps.

Magill and junior hitter Nikki Taylor (1.43 bps) rank 1-2 in Big West blocking. Taylor, 17th nationally in blocking, is No. 2 in points (6.09 pps) and sixth in kills (4.83 kps).

2. Long Beach State (10-3): The 49ers broke into the Top 25 this week, coming in at No. 25 thanks to last week’s wins over then-No. 21 San Diego and Oregon State. The Beach is the defending Big West champion, going 16-0 for its fifth undefeated conference season.

The 49ers lost several key players but still return middle blocker Ashley Murray, the conference freshman of the year, and setter Jennell Hudson, the conference player of the year. Marquette junior transfer Nele Barber has seven consecutive double-doubles, including 16 kills and career-high 17 digs in the win over the Beavers.

Two of the 49ers’ losses have been at home in four, to St. Mary’s and to then-No. 14 UCLA. The other was a sweep by Illinois State at the Harvard Invitational, the first road match of the year.

Brian Gimmillaro is in his 31st season (799-208) and could become the seventh active coach to eclipse the 800-win mark against UC Davis Friday. He also would join three others to reach 800 at the same school, along with Hawaii’s Dave Shoji, Penn State’s Russ Rose and Texas State’s Karen Chisum.

3. UC Santa Barbara (4-7): The Gauchos opened 4-1 but have since lost their last six, including the two matches Saturday where they were swept by San Diego State and fell in five to Loyola Marymount.

UCSB’s incoming freshman class was ranked 18th nationally by PrepVolleyball.com but the youth might take some time to develop. Among the five seniors back is two-time All-Big West first-teamer Ali Barbeau, a hitter averaging 2.93 kps.

Anchoring the defense are freshman Emilia Petrachi (4.21 dps) and sophomore Sydney Bast (3.10 dps), the latter who had a career-high 18 digs against the Aztecs.

Nicole Lantagne Welch is in her third year (35-32).

4. CSUN (1-11): The Matadors, losers of their last eight, are hoping that home will be where the wins are when hosting UC Irvine Friday at the Matadome. CSUN, playing its first 12 matches on the road in four states, have struggled on and off the court; on Aug. 24 it was announced that 18 victories from last season would be vacated for an unspecified NCAA rules infraction.

The bright spot has been senior hitter Cieana Stinson who is nearing 1,000 kills. At 979 she is 21 shy of becoming the 12th Matador to reach that mark.

Sophomore libero Katie Sato, she of a very strong volleyball bloodline, was named to two all-tournament teams, including the Arizona Invitational where CSUN won its lone match of the season (3-1 over Florida A&M).

Coach Jeff Stork is in his 14th year (170-205).

5. UC Davis (5-9): The Aggies have played its first 16 matches on the road, and lost the only one they played at The Pavilion (3-0 to Sacramento State). They open conference play Friday at No. 25 Long Beach State in an ESPN3 match.

Davis finished a surprising third last season for first-year coach Dan Conners but it might be tough to repeat that success if the injury bug continues to bite the team. In the 3-1 loss at Fresno State, the Aggies were missing junior hitter Allie Wegener, and 6-foot-1 middles Aima Eichie, a sophomore and freshman Kelechi Ohiro.

Senior hitter Kaylin Squyres, the conference leader in kills (4.38), needs 66 to become the ninth player at Davis to reach 1,000 kills, the third in the Division I era.

Conners is in his second season (20-23).

6. UC Irvine (6-6): The Anteaters opened their first season under Ashlie Hain with an ambitions schedule that had them on the road for the first three weekends in three states, including at then-No. 3 Texas in the second match of the season.

Back home last week, the Anteaters rebounded from being swept by UCLA with four-set wins over Oregon State and San Diego. UCI heads back on the road, going to CSUN Friday then at Long Beach State in a Black and Blue Rivalry match Saturday.

Two freshmen have made impacts early in Harlee Kekauoha and Idara Akpakpa. both picking up conference honors this week. Opposite Kekauoha, the freshman of the week, hit an error-free .571 against the Bruins and had a career-high 18 kills with six block assists and three aces vs. the Beavers.

Middle Akpakpa earned defensive honors with seven blocks against OSU and six vs. USD. She leads the team with 41 total blocks.

Junior libero Arden Davis had 27 digs last weekend, putting her into the program’s 1,000 dig club (1,016). The win over San Diego was the first over a ranked team since 2008.

7. Cal Poly (8-3): The Mustangs are off to their best start since going 9-2 in 2001. Making the biggest impact is freshman hitter Adlee Van Winden, who ranks fourth in the conference in points (178.5) and kill average (3.81 kps).

Cal Poly comes in off Saturday’s 3-1 loss to Loyola Marymount where Van Winden had 11 kills, senior libero Nicole Kessler 18 digs and sophomore setter Taylor Nelson 38 assists. Nelson, the 2013 PrepVolleyball.com National Player of the Year, leads the conference in assists (10.75 aps).

On Friday, Cal Poly swept San Diego State, its fourth sweep of the season, which surpasses the total (two) from last year.

The Stan Sheriff Center will forever link Cal Poly and Hawaii. The arena is named for the late UH athletic director who was an All-American football player for the Mustangs and charter member of the school’s athletics hall of fame.

Sam Crosson is in his fourth year (26-60).

8. UC Riverside (5-8): The Highlanders, 0-16 in the conference last season, are off to their best start since going 8-24 in 2012. Like most of the UC schools in the Big West, where classes don’t begin until September, Riverside has spent the first four weeks on the road.

The Highlanders’ lone home contests are the conference matches, beginning with Fullerton. Riverside is looking to end a two-match slide after losing in four to both Northern Arizona and Boise State last week in the Grand Canyon Invitational in Phoenix.

Senior libero Maddie Hubbell continues to be a dig match, currently leading the conference (.4.77 dos). Senior hitter Helena Peric was named to the GCI all-tournament team with 45 kills and 14 digs.

Michelle Patton is in her third season (9-60).

9. Cal State Fullerton (0-12): A coaching change hasn’t changed much for the Titans under Ashley Preston. Fullerton has matched its start from 1994 when the team finished 1-28.

The Titans nearly pulled off an upset of Alabama on Aug. 30, leading the Crimson Tide 2-0 before losing in five; Set 5 was 18-16. It has gone down hill since then with Fullerton being swept in seven of its next 10 matches.

The biggest loss came in the offseason when all-Big West freshman team selection Niki Withers transferred to current-No. 3 USC (12-0). Fullerton’s staff is one of the youngest in the country with the combined ages of its three full-time coaches at 89.