Aug. 4, 2008
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico volleyball team has been ranked fourth in the 2008 Mountain West Conference preseason poll as announced by the conference office on Monday. It is the highest preseason ranking the Lobos have received since joining the league. Seniors Jeanne Fairchild and Gayle Tripp were named to the league’s preseason all-conference team. The league’s coaches and select members of the media voted on the poll and team.
“I expected us to be in the top four this season, actually we hoped to for the top three and just missed it,” said Lobo head coach Jeff Nelson. “I think the conference continues to get stronger. There are a lot of great coaches and players in the league. I think with Colorado State winning last season, clearly they are the favorite.”
New Mexico returns 10 letterwinners in 2008, led by seniors Jeanne Fairchild, Gayle Tripp and Sarah Kwasigroch. Six newcomers, including New Mexico Player of the Year Ashley Rhoades, will fight for time on the court this season.
The Lobos finished the 2007 season with a 16-13 overall record and finished 7-9 in MWC action under the direction of first-year head coach Jeff Nelson. The Lobos recorded the most overall and MWC wins in program history since joining the league in 1999. Fairchild became just the second Lobo to receive all-MWC honors and Lisa Meeter was the first Lobo to be named MWC Freshman of the Year.
Fairchild was among the top five in the league in kills (4.63) and points (5.05) per game despite playing a majority of the season with a stress fracture in her foot. Fairchild currently had 767 career kills with the Lobos and is expected to crack the 1,000-kill mark during the 2008 season.
Tripp was selected as the top libero in the league by the voters. Tripp is currently second on the Lobos all-time career digs list with 1,143. She needs 362 digs in 2008 to become the program’s all-time leader. Tripp holds the second and fourth spots on the Lobos all-time season digs list with 442 in 2007 and 433 in 2006.
The Lobos report for practice on Friday, Aug. 8, and begin on-court practice on Saturday, Aug. 9 at 9 a.m.
UNM will host its annual Alumni Match on Saturday, Aug. 23 at 7 p.m. before welcoming Idaho State, Central Arkansas, and Loyola Marymount to the Johnson Center, Aug. 29-30, for the MCM Elegante Lobo Classic.
2008 PRESEASON VOLLEYBALL COACHES’ POLL
Pl. Team (1st place votes) Points
1. Colorado State (13) 125
2. Utah 95
3. BYU (1) 82
4. New Mexico 81
5. UNLV 63
6. TCU 56
7. San Diego State 48
8. Wyoming 28
9. Air Force 15
2008 PRESEASON ALL-MWC TEAM
Player, Cl., Pos., Team
Rachel Dyer, Sr., MB, BYU
Mekana Barnes, Sr., MB, CSU
Jaime Strauss, Sr., OH, CSU
Jeanne Fairchild, Sr., OH, UNM
Emillie Toone, Sr., MB/OH, Utah
Setter: Ashley Fornstrom, Sr., CSU
Libero: Gayle Tripp, Sr., UNM
Preseason Player of the Year: Mekana Barnes, CSU