Senior middle hitter Desiree Scott and senior outside hitter Lauren Loerch were selected to the WAC Preseason team as selected by the league’s coaches. Scott, a 2012 all-WAC selection and a 2012 WAC all-tournament selection, played in all 124 sets during the 2012 season. She finished the season as the Aggies’ top blocker with 152 total blocks, including 27 solo blocks and 125 assisted blocks, all of which were tops on the NM State team.
Loerch, a 2012 second team all-WAC honoree, quickly became an integral part of NM State’s WAC championship team during her first season with the Aggies. She was one of only four Aggies that participated in every set (124) during the 2012 season. Loerch’s 316 total kills and 2.55 kills/set average were both good for second-best on the NM State team.
“Desiree and Lauren are not the only two standouts on the team,” Jordan said. “We have a lot of depth so I think it is going to be an exciting year.”
The Aggies warm up for the season with the Annual Alumni Match, Saturday, Aug. 24 at 5:00 p.m. (MT) in the Activity Center on the campus of NM State. Their first regular-season match is Aug. 30 against former WAC foe, Nevada in Berkeley, Calif.
The 2013 WAC Volleyball Tournament, hosted by Grand Canyon, will be held Nov. 25-27, at GCU Arena in Phoenix, Ariz., and will include the top six eligible teams in the regular-season standings.
2013 WAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll
Rank - Team (first-place votes) - Points
1. New Mexico State (7) - 62
2. Idaho (2) - 58
3. Utah Valley - 44
4. Seattle U - 39
5. Bakersfield - 38
6. Kansas City - 35
7. Texas-Pan American - 21
8. Grand Canyon - 17
9. Chicago State - 10
2013 Preseason All-WAC Team
Player - Yr. - Pos. - School
Debora Araujo - Sr.- OH - Bakersfield
Fernanda Gonçalves - Sr. - S - Bakersfield
Emma Hagedorn - So. - MH - Kansas City
Brookelyn Hall - Sr. - S - Utah Valley
Lauren Loerch - Sr. - OH - New Mexico State
Katelyn Peterson - So. - OH - Idaho
Mackenzie Phelps - Jr. - L - Grand Canyon
Martina Samadan - So. - MB - Seattle U
Alyssa Schultz - Jr. - MB - Idaho
Desiree Scott - Sr. - MH - New Mexico State
Lauren Stringham - So. - MB - Utah Valley
Taylor Wilkinson - Sr. - MB - Idaho
Preseason Player of the Year: Alyssa Schultz, Idaho