STANFORD, Calif. – The Stanford men's volleyball team has been chosen by the conference coaches to finish eighth in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation this season, the league announced today. Included among its returners are All-Americans James Shaw and Conrad Kaminski.
BYU, which garnered eight first-place votes and totaled 112 points overall, was picked to win the MPSF. UC Irvine (106) collected two first-place votes, while UCLA (95) had one to make up the top 3. Long Beach State (89) was fourth, while UC Santa Barbara (86) picked up the final first-place vote and came in at No. 5. Hawai’I (75) completed the first half of the poll at No. 6.
Teams coming in No. 7 through No. 12 were Pepperdine (63), Stanford (53), USC (50), CSUN (30), Cal Baptist (21) and UC San Diego (12).
Stanford went 10-18 in 2015 and missed the postseason for the first time in seven years under head coach John Kosty, now in his 10th season at the helm of the program. The Cardinal, which took home a No. 14 final national ranking in 2015, has held a spot in the final AVCA poll for eight straight years.
Stanford enters the 2016 season ranked 13th in the preseason AVCA poll. On Dec. 8, Off the Block announced that it will present in 2016 the inaugural Erik Shoji Award, which will be awarded to the best libero in NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball during the regular season. Named after the Cardinal-great, it is the first national position-based award in collegiate men’s volleyball specifically for a libero.
The Cardinal will play two matches at Maples Pavilion on Dec. 29-30 against the University of Saskatchewan. Stanford officially opens the 2016 campaign on Friday, Jan. 8 in Muncie, Indiana as it takes on No. 14 Ball State.
2016 MPSF Men’s Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. BYU 112 (8)
2. UC Irvine 106 (2)
3. UCLA 95 (1)
4. Long Beach State 89
5. UC Santa Barbara 86 (1)
6. Hawai’i 75
7. Pepperdine 63
8. Stanford 53
9. USC 50
10. CSUN 30
11. Cal Baptist 21
12. UC San Diego 12
