NWC POLL: Bruins Tabbed to Tie for 7th in Tightly-Packed Conference Volleyball Poll

NEWBERG, Ore. - With a lineup that will feature four new starters and only six returning letter winners in all, the George Fox University Bruins have been tabbed to finish in a tie for seventh  in the upcoming 2011 Northwest Conference volleyball race as determined by a pre-season poll of the league’s nine coaches.

George Fox received 26 points in the balloting, tying them with Yamhill County rival Linfield College.  However, the Bruins and the Wildcats were only six points away from the fourth spot as the middle of the conference appears to be a toss-up this year.

The Bruins, who were 11-15 overall and finished in a three-way tie for fourth in the conference last year at 6-10, will be anchored by All-Conference honorable mention libero /defensive specialist Patti Reeves, who was second in the NWC while setting a new George Fox record for digs per game (5.88).  Joining her as returning starters are right-side hitter Stephanie Kerr (2.27 kills, 0.65 blocks per game) and outside hitter Betsy Wilhelm (2.07 kills, 3.05 digs per game).   

Whitworth University, with much of its starting lineup from last year’s NWC title team returning, was picked to repeat as champion with seven of nine first-place votes (coaches are not allowed to vote for their own team) and 69 total points.  Senior Kaimi Rocha, the 2010 NWC Player of the Year, returns to lead the Pirates, along with three 2010 Second Team All-NWC selection in senior Amanda Grumbach, senior Bree Riddle and sophomore Whitney Santos.  Those four, along with senior Ka'ipo Rocha, led the Pirates’ surprise run to the crown after they were picked sixth in the pre-season poll.

The University of Puget Sound was second with two first-place votes and 58 points after joining Whitworth in the 2010 NCAA Division III National Tournament as an at-large participant.  The Loggers will look to seniors Brynn Blickenstaff and Erika Greene, both First Team All-NWC selections, to lead the way. .

Pacific Lutheran University, which won or shared four straight NWC championships from 2006-2009, was third in the poll with 51 points.  All-NWC senior Kelsie Moore will lead the Lutes this season.

The next five positions in the poll were separated by a total of only six points.  Whitman College was fourth with 32 points, and will be led by sophomore Jillian Davis, who had a breakout first year for the Missionaries to earn First Team All-NWC honors.

Willamette University and Lewis & Clark College were close behind with 30 and 28 points respectively.  Carly Hargrave returns for the Bearcats after an outstanding freshman season, while senior Margaret Dowling looks to lead L&C in kills per game again in 2011.

Linfield, which tied George Fox for seventh with 26 points, will rely on All-NWC senior Samantha Lau, one of the league's most versatile players.  Pacific University (Ore.) was ninth with 13 points.  Senior Kelsey Takashima will lead the Boxers' attack.

The 2011 season will get under way on Sept. 1 as George Fox hosts Simpson University of California at 7:00 p.m.  Much of the rest of the NWC begins play the weekend of Sept. 2-3.

(First-place votes in parenthesis. Points awarded on 9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis).