Completed Event: Volleyball versus Utah State (Exh.) on August 12, 2026 ,
Volleyball
vs Utah State (Exh.)
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Duo picked for Preseason All-WAC honors
8/18/2021 9:03:00 AM | Volleyball
Mitchell, Eskes selected by coaches among conference's top 14 players
The Grand Canyon volleyball team was picked to finish third in the WAC this season by conference head coaches, who also tabbed Lopes juniors Hannah Eskes and Klaire Mitchell for Preseason All-WAC honors.
Utah Valley was selected to win the conference in a poll of WAC coaches with four of the seven first-place votes. New Mexico State picked up the other three first-place votes to finish ahead of the Lopes, who went 11-4 last season and took second place in the WAC.
Mitchell, a setter, earned her second consecutive Preseason All-WAC honor while Eskes, a middle blocker, was chosen for the first time.
A native of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Mitchell is coming off an impressive sophomore campaign as GCU's first WAC Setter of the Year with All-WAC first-team honors. Mitchell holds the program's Division I assist record with 1,513 in just two seasons. She also broke the program's Division I-era record for assists in a four-set match, notching 55 assists against Tarleton on Jan. 26. Additionally, Mitchell ranked first in the WAC and third nationally with 11.89 assists per set. She also proved to be an asset defensively, tallying 22 blocks to rank third on the team behind Eskes and former player Kaira Moss.
Eskes earned her second WAC honor in two GCU seasons after being named to the All-WAC second team after her sophomore season. The Oceanside, California, native led the WAC and ranked 22nd nationally in blocks per set with 1.42. Eskes won two WAC Defensive Player of the Week awards for her blocking performances last season. She led the Lopes with 55 total blocks and a GCU DI-record 23 solo blocks. Eskes also proved to be an attacking threat for GCU, ranking third on the team in scoring with 3.15 points per set.
The Lopes open the season at the Idaho Volleyball Classic in Moscow, Idaho, on Aug. 27 against Eastern Washington at 12:30 p.m.
* Preseason Player of the Year
Utah Valley was selected to win the conference in a poll of WAC coaches with four of the seven first-place votes. New Mexico State picked up the other three first-place votes to finish ahead of the Lopes, who went 11-4 last season and took second place in the WAC.
Mitchell, a setter, earned her second consecutive Preseason All-WAC honor while Eskes, a middle blocker, was chosen for the first time.
A native of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Mitchell is coming off an impressive sophomore campaign as GCU's first WAC Setter of the Year with All-WAC first-team honors. Mitchell holds the program's Division I assist record with 1,513 in just two seasons. She also broke the program's Division I-era record for assists in a four-set match, notching 55 assists against Tarleton on Jan. 26. Additionally, Mitchell ranked first in the WAC and third nationally with 11.89 assists per set. She also proved to be an asset defensively, tallying 22 blocks to rank third on the team behind Eskes and former player Kaira Moss.
Eskes earned her second WAC honor in two GCU seasons after being named to the All-WAC second team after her sophomore season. The Oceanside, California, native led the WAC and ranked 22nd nationally in blocks per set with 1.42. Eskes won two WAC Defensive Player of the Week awards for her blocking performances last season. She led the Lopes with 55 total blocks and a GCU DI-record 23 solo blocks. Eskes also proved to be an attacking threat for GCU, ranking third on the team in scoring with 3.15 points per set.
The Lopes open the season at the Idaho Volleyball Classic in Moscow, Idaho, on Aug. 27 against Eastern Washington at 12:30 p.m.
Preseason All-WAC Team |
|
| Position | Player, Year, School |
| Setter | Carly Aigner-Swesey, senior, New Mexico State |
| Outside hitter | Victoria Barrett, sophomore, New Mexico State |
| Middle blocker | Hannah Eskes, junior, Grand Canyon |
| Outside hitter | Yanlis Feliz, sophomore, Chicago State |
| Setter | Morgan Janda, sophomore, Sam Houston State |
| Right side hitter | Lauren Kersey, senior, Tarleton |
| Outside hitter | Ashley Lewis, senior, Sam Houston State |
| Right side hitter | Shaney Lipscomb, senior, New Mexico State |
| Setter | Klaire Mitchell, junior, Grand Canyon |
| Middle blocker | Taya Mitchell, senior, Stephen F. Austin |
| Middle blocker | Lia Mosher, senior, New Mexico State |
| Outside hitter | Lia Powell, sophomore, Stephen F. Austin |
| Outside hitter | * Kazna Tanuvas, senior, Utah Valley |
| Outside hitter/setter | Megan Treanor, senior, Dixie State |
West Division Coaches Poll |
|||
| Rank | Team (first-place votes) | Points | |
| 1 |
 |
Utah Valley (4) | 34 |
| 2 |
 |
New Mexico State (3) | 33 |
| 3 |
 |
Grand Canyon | 26 |
| 4 |
 |
California Baptist | 20 |
| 5 |
 |
Dixie State | 16 |
| 6 |
 |
Chicago State | 10 |
| 7 |
 |
Seattle U | 6 |
Players Mentioned
Friday, August 14
Thursday, June 18
Thursday, June 18
Tuesday, June 16