LONG BEACH, Calif. – The Chaminade University women's volleyball team is picked to finish second in the Pacific West Conference Preseason Poll, as voted on by the conference coaches.
The Silverswords, the defending PacWest champions, received four first-place votes and 158 total points. Point Loma was the conference coaches' choice to capture the PacWest title with eight first-place votes and 163 points.
CUI was picked to finish third, followed by the University of Hawai'i Hilo and Fresno Pacific, which received the final first-place vote.
Chaminade opens the season Thursday in the Hawai'i-Alaska Challenge presented by Alaska Airlines. The University of Alaska will be their opening opponent then face the host University of Alaska Anchorage on Friday. The Silverswords will then face either the Nanooks or Seawolves in Saturday's finale.
The 'Swords return just one returning starter in outside hitter
Malena Mihalik from last year's squad that went 28-5 including a 20-0 conference mark, the first unblemished PacWest mark since 2017. However, they have an experienced setter in junior
Leilani Ama, who was the AVCA National Freshman of the Year in 2023. They also welcome two Division I transfers --
Audrah Johnson (Utah State) and Waianae native
Alizaysha Sopi (Tennessee State) -- and a slew of talented freshmen.
PacWest Preseason Volleyball Poll
| Place |
Team (First Places Votes) |
Pts. |
| 1. |
Point Loma (8) |
163 |
| 2. |
CHAMINADE (4) |
158 |
| 3. |
CUI |
126 |
| 4. |
Hawai'i Hilo |
113 |
| 5. |
Fresno Pacific (1) |
112 |
| 6. |
Biola |
97 |
| 7. |
Azusa Pacific |
94 |
| 8. |
Vanguard |
78 |
| 9. |
Jessup |
77 |
| 10. |
Westmont |
64 |
| 11. |
Menlo |
38 |
| 12. |
Dominican |
35 |
| 13. |
Hawai'i Pacific |
25 |
