Grand Canyon University Athletics
Photo by: Zach Campbell
MPSF Coaches' Poll picks Lopes to finish 3rd
12/15/2023 11:21:00 AM | Men's Volleyball
Conference coaches favor BYU, vote GCU in tie with BYU,
With the 2024 season just around the corner, the Grand Canyon men's volleyball team was picked third in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Preseason Coaches' Poll.
The Lopes are coming off a historic 2023 season that saw the program set a new record with 22 wins, culminating with their first-ever appearance in the NCAA tournament.
GCU collected 23 points to tie with BYU for third place in the MPSF Coaches' Poll. The Lopes return a bulk of their roster and starting lineup from last season, including four American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Americans.
Senior opposite Camden Gianni and outside hitter Jackson Hickman will be the linchpins of the GCU offense while senior middle blocker Rico Wardlow looks for a strong second Lopes season after setting the program hitting percentage record last year at .536. GCU also returns starting setter Nic Slight, a junior, and welcomes four-time Division III All-American Jarrett Anderson, a 6-foot-5 opposite who is a graduate transfer from Springfield in Massachussets.
Defending national champion UCLA took the top MPSF spot while Stanford earned one first-place vote and 29 points for second place. The Cardinal are loaded with experience with nine returning seniors after finishing runner-up last year at the MPSF Championship.
USC comes in at No. 5 in the poll with 17 points. The Trojans will host this season's conference tournament at the Galen Center in Los Angeles. Pepperdine comes in at sixth with 13 points, and Concordia rounds out the poll in seventh with six points after an 8-19 season.
The Lopes open the season at the Asics Invitational in Santa Barbara, California, against CSUN on Jan. 4.
The Lopes are coming off a historic 2023 season that saw the program set a new record with 22 wins, culminating with their first-ever appearance in the NCAA tournament.
GCU collected 23 points to tie with BYU for third place in the MPSF Coaches' Poll. The Lopes return a bulk of their roster and starting lineup from last season, including four American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Americans.
Senior opposite Camden Gianni and outside hitter Jackson Hickman will be the linchpins of the GCU offense while senior middle blocker Rico Wardlow looks for a strong second Lopes season after setting the program hitting percentage record last year at .536. GCU also returns starting setter Nic Slight, a junior, and welcomes four-time Division III All-American Jarrett Anderson, a 6-foot-5 opposite who is a graduate transfer from Springfield in Massachussets.
Defending national champion UCLA took the top MPSF spot while Stanford earned one first-place vote and 29 points for second place. The Cardinal are loaded with experience with nine returning seniors after finishing runner-up last year at the MPSF Championship.
USC comes in at No. 5 in the poll with 17 points. The Trojans will host this season's conference tournament at the Galen Center in Los Angeles. Pepperdine comes in at sixth with 13 points, and Concordia rounds out the poll in seventh with six points after an 8-19 season.
The Lopes open the season at the Asics Invitational in Santa Barbara, California, against CSUN on Jan. 4.
MPSF Preseason Coaches' Poll |
|||
| Rank | Team (first-place votes) | Points | |
| 1 |
 |
UCLA (6) | 36 |
| 2 |
 |
Stanford (1) | 28 |
| T-3 |
 |
Grand Canyon | 23 |
| T-3 |
 |
BYU | 23 |
| 5. |
 |
USC | 17 |
| 6 |
 |
Pepperdine | 13 |
| 7 |
 |
Concordia Irvine | 6 |
Players Mentioned
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