This post previously referred to the players as being named to the preseason All-American team and that Taylor Agost was an All-Pac-12 player last season. These statements were incorrect and have since been corrected.
With the Oregon volleyball team set to start the 2017 season on August 26, the Pac-12 announced Wednesday the preseason picks for conference champion as voted on by the Pac-12 coaches. Picks for the conference preseason All-Pac-12 team were also announced and the Ducks had three players make the team.
Oregon was picked to finish third in the Pac-12 this season. Last year the Ducks finished in fourth place with a 21-10 record and 13-7 in conference. Washington and Stanford were both picked ahead of the Ducks, with the Huskies picked to win the conference.
Senior Taylor Agost, junior Lindsey Vander Weide and sophomore Ronika Stone were all named to the preseason all-Pac-12 team.
Last year, Agost was named honorable mention for the All-Pac-12 team and also earned All-Region honorable mention. Vander Weide was named to the All-Pac-12 team was also named an AVCA third-team All-American to end the year last season.
Stone made the freshman All-Pac-12 team last season and was an honorable mention for the All-Pac-12 team. The Ducks are tied with Washington for the second-most players selected to the team, with three. Stanford had four players selected.
This will be the debut season for new head coach Matt Ulmer. He spent the last three years as an assistant coach on staff.
The Ducks open the season ranked 18th in the AVCA preseason coaches poll and will be challenged immediately with games against No. 5 Nebraska Cornhuskers and No. 1 Texas Longhorns in back-to-back days as part of the VERT Challenge in Gainesville, Florida.
2017 Pac-12 Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll
Team (First-place votes)
- Washington (8)
- Stanford (3)
- Oregon
- Utah (1)
- UCLA
- USC
- Washington State
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Oregon State
- California
- Arizona State
Preseason All-Pac-12 Team
Taylor Agost, Oregon
Adora Anae, Utah
Reily Buechler, UCLA
Crissy Jones, Washington
Audriana Fitzmorris, Stanford
Morgan Hentz, Stanford
Khalia Lanier, USC
Merete Lutz, Stanford
Mary-Kate Marshall, Oregon State
Kathryn Plummer, Stanford
Courtney Schwan, Washington
Ronika Stone, Oregon
Bailey Tanner, Washington
Lindsey Vander Weide, Oregon
Follow Zak Laster on Twitter: @zlast3445
