COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The University of New Mexico volleyball team has been predicted to finish fifth by the Mountain West head coaches in the 2018 Mountain West Preseason Poll, the league announced Wednesday.
Last season’s Mountain West Champion Colorado State was selected to finish atop the league with 100 points and 10 first-place votes, followed by Wyoming with 91 points and one first-place vote. Boise State and San Diego State both tied for third with 75 points while San José State, Fresno State, Air Force, Utah State, Nevada and UNLV filled out the remainder of the 11-team poll.
Official Mountain West Release
The Lobos return an experienced squad with nine players from last year’s roster including five starters. The returning starters include redshirt-seniors Mariessa Carrasco and Victoria Spragg, senior Mercedes Pacheco, junior Lauren Twitty and sophomore Yasmin Tan. UNM also welcomes four transfers in Tai Bierria (Memphis) Jaclyn Inclan (Arizona), Fiona Harding (South Dakota State) and Makayla Tam (Grossmont College).
Three of UNM’s top returners include the top three offensive players on the squad from 2017. Twitty led the Lobo offense as a sophomore with 412 kills, followed by Carrasco (258) and Spragg (243).
New Mexico opens exhibition play on Saturday, August 18 at Johnson Gym against Fort Lewis at 2 p.m. The squad will follow with a road season-opening tournament hosted by Idaho that will include a trio of matches before the Lobos return home to host the Lobo Classic, starting with the official home opener on Friday, August 31 at 12:45 p.m.