Wahine volleyball in familiar spot as No. 1 preseason pick

The Hawaii women’s volleyball team was picked to finish in the same position where it normally does during the majority of its Big West tenure.

The five-time defending conference champions were chosen to place first in its final year of competition in the Big West, according to the preseason coaches’ poll released Thursday as voted on by the 11 head coaches.

The Rainbow Wahine earned five first-place votes and finished two points ahead of Cal Poly for the top spot. Hawaii defeated the Mustangs, who also received five first-place votes, in four sets in the final of the Big West Conference Championships last season in Irvine, Calif. UH also won both regular-season meetings.

Hawaii has won 14 Big West titles over 22 years of membership. UH will depart the conference after this season to join the Mountain West.

UH senior middle blocker Bri Gunderson, a transfer from Eastern Washington and one of eight newcomers on UH’s 16-player roster, was named to the seven-player preseason coaches’ team.

Gunderson ranked fifth in the nation with 154 blocks last season and was named to the All-Big Sky first team for the Eagles.

“I didn’t know that was a thing but it was exciting to get back to the locker room and check my phone and see that,” Gunderson said. “Coach Kaleo (Baxter) in practice was like, ‘congrats,’ and I was like, ‘what do you mean?’ and he said you will find out later. I went back to the locker room after and saw it on Instagram.”

Gunderson, who is originally from Ladera Ranch, Calif., is 6 feet 3 and will pair with 6-foot-1 sophomore Miliana Sylvester in the middle for the Rainbow Wahine. Sylvester, who is the leading returner in blocks for UH, was named to the All-Big West freshman team last season.

“I’m just so impressed by her. I always tell her she is so wise beyond her years and she is so mature and I love competing with her every day,” Gunderson said. “She’s just an awesome player and I can’t wait to see the rest of her career because I am so excited for what she can do these next three years.”

Cal Poly senior setter Emma Bullis and sophomore middle blocker Chloe Leluge were named to the preseason team along with UC Davis junior middle Ally Chandler and senior outside hitter Jade Light, UC Irvine senior libero Campbell Jensen and UC Santa Barbara sophomore outside hitter Eva Travis.

UC Davis was picked to finish third in the conference, two points ahead of UC Santa Barbara, which received the other first-place vote.

Long Beach State rounded out the top five.

Hawaii opens the season in the Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic next Friday against Marquette, which was picked to finish second in the Big East, according to the league’s annual preseason coaches’ survey.

The Golden Eagles went 25-9 last season and advanced to a NCAA Regional semifinal.

Utah State, which the Rainbow Wahine host next Saturday, were picked to win the Mountain West in its preseason poll and San Diego, which the Rainbow Wahine finish their opening tournament against a week from Sunday, was picked first in the West Coast Conference preseason coaches poll.