1. Long Beach State – Led by long-time head coach Brian Gimmillaro and headlined by junior Alexis Crimes, arguably the best middle blocker in the nation, and a solid-supporting squad, expect the 49ers to retain their Big West conference crown.
2. UC Santa Barbara – Co-champions of the Big West last season, the Gauchos are thinking repeat, but the Big West coaches think otherwise. Selected to finish third in the Big West, the Gauchos hope for better as they suit up eight returning players including sophomore Lauren McLaughlin who was selected to the 2005 Big West All Freshman Team. The Gauchos are led by senior outside hitter Emily Hendrickson.
3. Cal Poly – Despite receiving only one of eight first place votes in the coaches poll, the Mustangs were chosen to finish second. They return four starters including two All-Big West First Team picks and junior setter Chelsea Hayes.
4. Pacific – The Tigers will be led by newly-acquired head coach Charlie Ward, who spent the last 11 years as staff at the University of Hawaii. They will hit the court with six letterwinners and four starters from the 2005 team that finished 16-14 and 8-6 in conference play.
5. CS Fullerton – With a mediocre .491 winning percentage over the last two seasons, the Titans will probably improve. Too bad it won’t be good enough to contend for third in the Big West.
6. UC Irvine – With middle blocker Trisha White as the lone representative of the senior class, the Anteaters will find themselves looking at sophomore Lauren Kellerman, who made the 2005 All- Big West Freshman Team and was second on the team with 309 kills.
7. CS Northridge – Second to the bottom of the barrel in the coache’s poll, it seems the Matadors will look to battle the Anteaters for the sixth spot in the Big West. The Matadors, who finished 4-23 last season, are headlined by Harmony Burdine, a Big West Freshman pick in 2005.
8. UC Riverside – With the loss of three prominent starters last season, the rebuilding year has the Highlanders on the outside looking in. Despite there being almost every position up for grabs, look for junior middle blocker Angie Mitchell to step up as the only prominent veteran presence on the squad.