LONG BEACH, Calif. – The PacWest Conference announced its 2025 Women's Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll on Monday afternoon. Fresno Pacific is predicted to finish fifth among the thirteen competing schools.
After securing a third-place finish last year, the Blue and Orange collected 112 points in the poll. Point Loma was projected to lead the pack with 163 points and eight first place votes. Chaminade nipped at the Sea Lions' heels with 158 points. Concordia and Hawaii Hilo also stand between the Sunbirds and the Silverswords in the poll.
"Preseason voting is just a vote. It doesn't prove anything," said head coach
Kelsee Montagna. "If we learned anything from last season, anything can happen. Day by day. Match by match. You show up consistently every single game no matter who you are playing. So being ranked fifth, first or last, it should always light a fire and in this case, it certainly did."
The Sunbirds are already heating things up with their impressive returning lineup.
First Team All-PacWest
Cambria Waites, who was one of the top-ranked setters in the conference, will play a key role in the Sunbird's offense. She finished the year third in assists, sixth in service aces, and hit a 1,000 assist season.
PacWest Co-Freshman Player of the Year
Makayla Smith will have her time to shine this fall alongside returners
Geneva Elliott and
Devyn Castaneda.
The team features several impressive newcomers, including Fresno State transfer
Mikayla Weiss, Jessup transfer
Sydney Hancock, and middle
Itzel Aguayo, who are all bound to make a positive impact this season.
The 2025 season kicks off at the Sunbird Classic hosted by Fresno Pacific on Sept. 5
th and 6
th. FPU Volleyball will compete against Stanislaus State at 11:30 am and Chico State at 7 pm on Friday. On Saturday, the Sunbirds take on UC Merced at 4:30 pm to close out the tournament.
All Sunbird Classic games will be streaming on the
PacWest Network.
SUNBIRD SOCIAL:
#TeamFPU
