The Hawaii women’s volleyball team was picked to finish in the same position where it normally does during the majority of its Big West tenure.

The five-time defending conference champions were chosen to place first in its final year of competition in the Big West, according to the preseason coaches’ poll released Thursday as voted on by the 11 head coaches.

The Rainbow Wahine earned five first-place votes and finished two points ahead of Cal Poly for the top spot. Hawaii defeated the Mustangs, who also received five first-place votes, in four sets in the final of the Big West Conference Championships last season in Irvine, Calif. UH also won both regular-season meetings.

Hawaii has won 14 Big West titles over 22 years of membership. UH will depart the conference after this season to jo

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