Karina Amos | Posted: 25 Aug 2021 | Updated: 2 Oct 2021

WCC names five Cougars to preseason team, BYU ranked No. 1

Taylen Ballard Nixon, Kennedy Eschenberg, Whitney Bower, Kate Grimmer, and Heather Gneiting were selected to All- wcc first team
byu ranks No. 1 in preseason wcc poll

SAN MATEO, Calif. — The 2020-21 West Coast Conference Champion BYU Cougars were chosen to repeat and win the program's eighth WCC championship in the annual WCC Women's Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll. BYU led the WCC with five women selected to the preseason first-team. 

In the team rankings, the Cougars received the maximum 81 points and nine first-place votes with San Diego earning 70 points and one first-place vote. Pepperdine rounds out the top three with 68 points. 

Spring 2021 WCC Player of the Year and Setter of the Year, Whitney Bower was named to the pre-season team for the second time in her career. Bower is joined by 2020-21 All-Americans Taylen Ballard Nixon and Kennedy Eschenberg. AVCA All-regional selection Kate Grimmer was also selected alongside middle blocker Heather Gneiting. Gneiting returned from a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the off season. 

The preseason poll and the All-WCC team were selected solely by a vote of the conference’s 10 head coaches. Coaches cannot vote for their own teams and student-athletes.

For the complete WCC preseason poll and awards list go to wccsports.com