Completed Event: Volleyball versus Utah State (Exh.) on August 12, 2026 ,
Volleyball
vs Utah State (Exh.)
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Trio picked for Preseason All-WAC honors
1/13/2021 10:05:00 AM | Volleyball
Kubinski, Moss, Mitchell selected by conference coaches
The Grand Canyon volleyball team was picked to finish second in the WAC this season by conference head coaches while three Lopes players earned Preseason All-WAC honors.
New Mexico State was selected to win the conference in a poll of WAC coaches with GCU picking up one of nine first-place votes. The poll placed the Lopes in second, ahead of UT Rio Grande Valley in third.
"It is nice for other coaches in our conference to recognize we have potential this season, however all preseason ranking is potential," said head coach Tim Nollan. "It is up to our players and staff to maximize it and see how great we can be this season."
GCU juniors Annabelle Kubinski and Kaira Moss joined Lopes sophomore Klaire Mitchell on the 14-member Preseason All-WAC team. All three were honored by the WAC for the previous season.
"Kaira, Klaire and Belle all proved they were among the best in the league last season, so it is fitting that they are named to the preseason all-conference team. I look forward to watching them continue to grow and take their game to new heights this season," continued Nollan.
A native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Kubinski earned All-WAC second-team honors last season as a sophomore. She led the conference in hitting percentage at .405 and broke the GCU Division I-era record for attacking percentage in an individual match (.684 on 14 kills) against California Baptist on Oct. 19. Kubinski totaled 191 kills and 77 blocks in the season. She also ranks third all-time in total blocks in the program's Division I era with 152 in two seasons with the Lopes.
Moss earned her second WAC honor in two GCU seasons after being named to the All-WAC first team in her sophomore season. The Boyden, Iowa, native gathered 230 kills, the second most for the Lopes last season. She has a .297 career attacking percentage and 473 career kills, which ranked first in career attack percentage and fourth for career kills in GCU's Division I history. The middle blocker led the Lopes with 107 blocks and had two outstanding performances when she captured nine blocks each in matches against Rutgers and California Baptist. Moss ranked fourth in the WAC with 1.1 blocks per set and led GCU with 22 block solos.
A native of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Mitchell is coming off an impressive freshman campaign as she was GCU's third WAC Freshman of the Year last season. She led the Lopes in assists with 1,085, the second-highest total in the program's Division I history. Mitchell recorded a season-high 56 assists against Ball State on Sept. 6. That effort tied for the second-most assists in a GCU Division I match. Additionally, Mitchell ranked second in the WAC with 9.6 assists per set. The setter also proved to be an asset defensively for the Lopes, tallying 293 digs to rank second on the team. Mitchell also earned All-WAC Tournament honors in her freshman campaign.
The Lopes open the season against a new conference opponent, Tarleton, on Monday, Jan. 25. The match is slated for 7p.m. (Phoenix time).
Preseason Coaches' Poll
Rank Team (first-place votes) Points
1. New Mexico State (8) 65
2. Grand Canyon (1) 55
3. UT Rio Grande Valley 48
4. California Baptist 42
5. Utah Valley 40
T6. Dixie State 21
T6. Tarleton 21
T6. Seattle U 21
9. Chicago State 12
Preseason All-WAC Team
Player Yr. Pos. School
Sarah Cruz Jr. OH UT Rio Grande Valley
Samaret Caraballo Jr. L/OH UT Rio Grande Valley
Savannah Davison Jr. OH New Mexico State
Christine Graf So. OH California Baptist
Seren Jardine Sr. DS/L Utah Valley
Eve Kerschenbaum Jr. OH Seattle U
Annabelle Kubinski Jr. MB GCU
Sydney Marks Sr. MB California Baptist
Tijana Milojevic Sr. L Seattle U
Klaire Mitchell So. S GCU
Lia Mosher Jr. MB New Mexico State
Kaira Moss Jr. MB GCU
Julianna Salanoa Sr. MB New Mexico State
Kazna Tarawhiti Jr. OH Utah Valley
Preseason Player of the Year: Savannah Davison, New Mexico State
New Mexico State was selected to win the conference in a poll of WAC coaches with GCU picking up one of nine first-place votes. The poll placed the Lopes in second, ahead of UT Rio Grande Valley in third.
"It is nice for other coaches in our conference to recognize we have potential this season, however all preseason ranking is potential," said head coach Tim Nollan. "It is up to our players and staff to maximize it and see how great we can be this season."
GCU juniors Annabelle Kubinski and Kaira Moss joined Lopes sophomore Klaire Mitchell on the 14-member Preseason All-WAC team. All three were honored by the WAC for the previous season.
"Kaira, Klaire and Belle all proved they were among the best in the league last season, so it is fitting that they are named to the preseason all-conference team. I look forward to watching them continue to grow and take their game to new heights this season," continued Nollan.
A native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Kubinski earned All-WAC second-team honors last season as a sophomore. She led the conference in hitting percentage at .405 and broke the GCU Division I-era record for attacking percentage in an individual match (.684 on 14 kills) against California Baptist on Oct. 19. Kubinski totaled 191 kills and 77 blocks in the season. She also ranks third all-time in total blocks in the program's Division I era with 152 in two seasons with the Lopes.
Moss earned her second WAC honor in two GCU seasons after being named to the All-WAC first team in her sophomore season. The Boyden, Iowa, native gathered 230 kills, the second most for the Lopes last season. She has a .297 career attacking percentage and 473 career kills, which ranked first in career attack percentage and fourth for career kills in GCU's Division I history. The middle blocker led the Lopes with 107 blocks and had two outstanding performances when she captured nine blocks each in matches against Rutgers and California Baptist. Moss ranked fourth in the WAC with 1.1 blocks per set and led GCU with 22 block solos.
A native of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Mitchell is coming off an impressive freshman campaign as she was GCU's third WAC Freshman of the Year last season. She led the Lopes in assists with 1,085, the second-highest total in the program's Division I history. Mitchell recorded a season-high 56 assists against Ball State on Sept. 6. That effort tied for the second-most assists in a GCU Division I match. Additionally, Mitchell ranked second in the WAC with 9.6 assists per set. The setter also proved to be an asset defensively for the Lopes, tallying 293 digs to rank second on the team. Mitchell also earned All-WAC Tournament honors in her freshman campaign.
The Lopes open the season against a new conference opponent, Tarleton, on Monday, Jan. 25. The match is slated for 7p.m. (Phoenix time).
Preseason Coaches' Poll
Rank Team (first-place votes) Points
1. New Mexico State (8) 65
2. Grand Canyon (1) 55
3. UT Rio Grande Valley 48
4. California Baptist 42
5. Utah Valley 40
T6. Dixie State 21
T6. Tarleton 21
T6. Seattle U 21
9. Chicago State 12
Preseason All-WAC Team
Player Yr. Pos. School
Sarah Cruz Jr. OH UT Rio Grande Valley
Samaret Caraballo Jr. L/OH UT Rio Grande Valley
Savannah Davison Jr. OH New Mexico State
Christine Graf So. OH California Baptist
Seren Jardine Sr. DS/L Utah Valley
Eve Kerschenbaum Jr. OH Seattle U
Annabelle Kubinski Jr. MB GCU
Sydney Marks Sr. MB California Baptist
Tijana Milojevic Sr. L Seattle U
Klaire Mitchell So. S GCU
Lia Mosher Jr. MB New Mexico State
Kaira Moss Jr. MB GCU
Julianna Salanoa Sr. MB New Mexico State
Kazna Tarawhiti Jr. OH Utah Valley
Preseason Player of the Year: Savannah Davison, New Mexico State
Players Mentioned
Friday, August 14
Thursday, June 18
Thursday, June 18
Tuesday, June 16