IRVINE, Calif. --- Biola Volleyball was selected to finish in fourth place in the 2021 PacWest Preseason Poll as announced by the PacWest Conference and as voted on by the conference head coaches. 

The Eagles received one first-place vote and are coming off of a PacWest SoCal Pod Championship in the shortened 2020-21 season this past spring. The time is now to prove that that the shortened season was no fluke and that the Eagles are ready to compete for a full-season conference title. 

Biola returns nearly its entire roster as the program graduated only one senior this past season. Two key returners for the Eagles include Vanessa Garcia, the 2020-21 PacWest Setter of the Year, and Sami Hover, a three-time All-PacWest libero. 

Garcia and Hover are closing in on career milestones as both players are chasing the 2,000 stat mark in assists and digs. Garcia sits at 1,705 career assists and looks to close in on 2,000 career assists. Hover currently sits at 1,767 career digs and will do her best to chase down the record of 2,097 career digs set by Katie Stevens (2006-09).

The Eagles will rely heavily on young talent including outside hitter Dominique Kirton and middle blocker Abigail Copeland who played vital roles for Aaron Seltzer at the net last season.

Biola also returns defensive specialists Brooke Hales, Brie Nishimura and Mary McDonnell who will be key fixtures for the Eagles defensively in the back-row. 

Seltzer and his staff have added five freshmen hitters to the squad. Brooke Braham, Brezlyn Langer, and Kendall Vandertuig stand at 6-0 while Gracie Guy and Sierra Leopold check in at 6-3 and 6-4 respectively. The height of the incoming hitters will complement the front row staff of Dani Bryant and Emily Smith at 6-1 as well as Allie Tillery who stands at 6-5.  

Vandertuig joins teammate Jillian Gallarda as two players who have had sisters play at schools within the conference. Gallarda follows in the footsteps of her sister, Gracee Teague, an NAIA All-American setter at Biola and now Biola Volleyball Assistant Coach. Vandertuig's two older sisters, Ashley and Katelyn, played at Azusa Pacific and California Baptist.

Biola is slated to kick off its season on September 2 at the University of Alaska Anchorage Invitational in Anchorage, Alaska. The Eagles will face off against the host institution, UAA, for their first match of the season at 8 P.M. Pacific Time. Check back in at biola.athletics.edu for live stat and video links as they are made available on game day. 

2021 PacWest Volleyball Poll

1. Azusa Pacific
2. Chaminade
3. Hawai'i Hilo
4. Biola
5. Concordia
6. Fresno Pacific 
7. Hawai'i Pacific
8. Holy Names
9. Academy of Art
10. Dominican