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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

UW picked third, WSU last in volleyball poll

Washington was picked to finish third and Washington State last in the upcoming Pac-12 volleyball race, the conference announced Tuesday.

Defending champion Stanford was an unanimous pick to finish first, ahead of Arizona State and UW.

The Huskies received the only other first-place vote to place third. After a second-place showing last year, 2015 will be about filling voids with the graduation of 2013 AVCA National Player of the Year Krista Vansant and former head coach Jim McLaughlin.

However, the Huskies have a familiar face on the bench as Keegan Cook was moved up from assistant coach to head coach.

Last year, WSU finished 1-19 in conference play and 10-22 overall.

• In the Big Sky Conference, Idaho is predicted to finish fifth and Eastern eighth among 12 teams, the conference announced Tuesday.

Idaho State edged Northern Arizona, North Dakota and Northern Colorado in the balloting.

Last season Idaho went 11-5 in Big Sky play and finished with the conference’s top hitting percentage in league play (.253). Idaho opens the season Aug. 28 at Hawaii. EWU kicks off its 2015 season with its annual alumni match, Sunday at 1 p.m. in Reese Court.