2023 WAC WVB Release Week 1
THE 2023 VOLLEYBALL SEASON’S FIRST SERVE IS ALMOST HERE!
The 2023 NCAA volleyball season is officially set to begin this week with nonconference play. A total of 34 matches featuring WAC volleyball members are scheduled during the opening weekend of the year.
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN TABBED AS 2023 WAC VOLLEYBALL FAVORITE
2022 conference tournament champion Stephen F. Austin was selected as the WAC top team in the 2023 WAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The Ladyjacks received nine first-place votes and 99 points to rank as the preseason favorite based on polling of the league’s 11 head coaches. Grand Canyon received one first-place vote and placed second in the predicted order of finish with 87 points. UTRGV received the last remaining first-place vote in the poll, finishing third with 80 points.
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STAR BRADLEY NAMED PRESEASON POTY
Stephen F. Austin senior right-side hitter
Ielan Bradley was selected as the 2023 WAC Preseason Player of the Year. Bradley tallied a team-high 368 kills, hitting .335, while adding 79 total blocks and 54 digs. Bradley was named the 2022 WAC tournament MVP and earned First Team All-WAC last season.
UTRGV STANDOUT EMILIANO THE PRESEASON SETTER OF THE YEAR
UTRGV junior setter
Luanna Emiliano was voted as the 2023 WAC Preseason Setter of the Year. Emiliano earned the 2022 WAC Setter of the Year, after leading the league with 1160 total assists and 10.74 assists per set across 28 matches. She had a career-high 72 assists against Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi, which was the fourth-highest single-match total in program history.
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN HOANG RECOGNIZED AS THE PRESEASON LIBERO OF THE YEAR
Stephen F. Austin senior
Haley Hoang was chosen as the 2023 Preseason Libero of the Year. Hoang led the WAC in total digs with 500 and 5.26 digs per set. Hoang was named the 2022 WAC Libero of the Year, earned First Team All-WAC honors and held a spot on the WAC All-Tournament team.
UTRGV GEARING UP FOR RANKED OPPONENTS
Key matches featuring UTRGV will include two ranked opponents this weekend. UTRGV will first play against No. 17 BYU on August 26, then go on to compete against No. 5 Pitt on August 27.