(Aliso Viejo, CA) With a new coach and a plethora of new players, the Park University Gilbert volleyball team was picked to finish last out of eight teams in the preseason Great Southwest Athletic Conference (GSAC) preseason poll announced today by the conference.
Park Gibert finished fifth in the California Pacific Conference a year ago with a 10-10 record and a first round loss in the conference tournament. The Buccaneers had won the conference tournament the previous two seasons en route to the NAIA National Tournament.
The Bucs return three starters from last year’s squad including junior middle blocker Mallory Turner who is sixth on the Bucs all-time kills list and fourth on the all-time total blocks ledger. Graduate setter Daniella Miranda-Johnson is fourth on the all-time assists list and junior opposite Kyla Knight is coming off of a 91-kill season.
New head coach Pisila Tukia is also expecting big things from sophomore Porsche Bauer who saw time on the pin and the right side a year ago despite being sidelined with injuries. Another injury casualty a year ago who is expected to have an impact is redshirt sophomore Laila Lee who could see time across all positions on the front row.
Here is a look at the 2024 GSAC Volleyball Preseason Poll. Each coach in the conference was asked to rank every team in conference 1-7 (coaches were not allowed to rate their own teams). The top team would receive 7 points, second place 6 points and so on down to the 1 point for the seventh place squad. Embry Riddle was picked by the conference as the preseason favorite, but the top four teams each received two first place votes apiece.
2024 GSAC Volleyball Preseason Poll (First place votes in paretheses)
1. Embry-Riddle (2) 41
2. Benedictine Mesa (2) 39
The Master’s (2) 39
4. Life Pacific (2) 36
5. OUAZ 26
6. Hope International 19
7. Arizona Christian 12
Park Gilbert 12
Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Preston English
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