Roundup: WSU’s Ellis qualifies for U.S. Amateur

Washington State University men’s golfer Nick Ellis took medalist honors at the Washington State Golf Association Sectional Qualifier at Palouse Ridge Golf Club Tuesday, claiming one of three invitations to the U.S. Amateur Championship.

Ellis fired rounds of 68 and 67 en route to a 9-under-par 135 to win the qualifier by one stroke. He recorded 11 birdies and two bogeys during his two rounds at WSU’s home course.

The 110th United States Amateur Championship will be held Aug. 23-29 at Chambers Bay in University Place, Wash.

Volleyball

Idaho senior Kelsey Taylor was named to the 2010 Preseason All-WAC team, and the Vandals volleyball team was picked to finish sixth in the Western Athletic Conference by the league’s coaches.

The Vandals are coming off a 15-15 season in 2009 which includes an 11-5 mark and a third-place finish in WAC play.

Hawaii was picked to win the league after going 16-0 in WAC play and 32-3 overall last year en route to its 14th consecutive regular-season conference championship. The Rainbow Wahine advanced to the NCAA semifinals in 2009.

New Mexico State received one first-place vote in the poll, and was picked to finish second. The Aggies are followed by Fresno State, Utah State and Boise State. Nevada was picked to finish seventh, with Louisiana Tech picked eighth and San Jose State ninth.

Hawaii junior Kanani Danielson, the reigning WAC Player of the Year, was the unanimous pick for WAC Preseason Player of the Year.

• Four-time defending champion Pacific Lutheran edged Puget Sound by a slim margin in the 2010 Northwest Conference volleyball coaches poll. The Lutes had five first-place votes and 82 total points in the poll, to the Loggers’ four first-place votes and 80 total points.

Lewis & Clark (52 points) nipped George Fox (51) for third place in the poll after the teams tied for third place in the final 2009 standings. Willamette is fifth in the poll with 46 points. Whitworth (37) and Linfield (31) follow in sixth and seventh place, respectively. The Pirates return five starters from a disappointing 2009 season.

Pacific (Ore.) is eighth in the poll with 20 points followed by Whitman (16).