Rams Favored in Preseason Poll, Stanford and Pritchard Named to Preseason Team

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FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The Colorado State volleyball team was once again tabbed the conference favorite heading into the 2022 season by the league's coaches, the Mountain West announced Wednesday. The Rams filled the preseason team with two All-Mountain West players from a season ago with outside hitter Kennedy Stanford and setter Ciera Pritchard being named.

Colorado State received 93 votes, including six first-place votes, to be picked as the favorite for the 11th time in the last 13 seasons. Utah State followed the Rams with 91 votes and three first place. Boise State and San Jose State rounded out the top three, tied for third with 75 votes and one first-place nods each.

Pritchard continues to be the director of the Rams' offense – one that had eight matches hitting over.300 in 2021 – and dished out 10.11 assists per set overall – second best in the Mountain West and 10.40 in Mountain West play to lead the league. She tallied 20 matches in 2021 with 30-plus assists and seven with 40-plus, including a season-high 53 at Wyoming. On the defensive side, she averaged 2.06 digs and had a team-high seven double-doubles.

Stanford paced the offense for Colorado State a season ago, averaging 3.28 kills per set and seventh overall in the Mountain West. She had 16 matches with double-figure kills, including a career-high in the regular-season finale at Boise State with 21. The outside also recorded one double-double with 13 kills and 10 digs at NC State and posted four matches with over a .400 hitting mark while tallying double-figure kills.

PRESEASON POLL
1. Colorado State (6) - 93
2. Utah State (3) - 91
T3. Boise State (1) - 75
T3. San José State (1) - 75
5. New Mexico - 68
6. UNLV - 57
7. Wyoming - 47
8. San Diego State - 33
9. Fresno State - 29
10. Air Force - 27
11. Nevada - 10

PRESEASON ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST TEAM
Lauren Ohlinger, Sr., OH, Boise State
Paige Bartsch, So., OPP, Boise State
Kennedy Stanford, Jr., OH, Colorado State
Ciera Pritchard, Sr., S, Colorado State
Kaitlynn Biassou, Sr., OH, New Mexico
Haylee Nelson, Sr., OH/OPP, San José State
Sarah Smevog, Sr., L, San José State
Tatum Stall, Jr., OH, Utah State

PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Paige Bartsch, So., OPP, Boise State

Colorado State will open its 2022 season at home against North Carolina on Aug. 26 at 7:00 p.m. The Ram will face 10 non-conference opponents in 11 matches before the start the league play. The Rams are coming off an 19-11 overall record from 2021 and a 14-4 mark in the league after winning the regular season title. CSU captured its 17th Mountain West regular season title, including the fourth in the past five seasons and 11th in the last 13.

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