Five-time defending Big West Conference champion Hawaii was picked to finish first in its final season of Big West women’s volleyball today.

The Rainbow Wahine earned five first-place votes and finished two points ahead of Cal Poly for the top spot in the BWC preseason coaches’ poll.

Hawaii defeated Cal Poly, which 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 senior middle blocker Bri Gunderson, a transfer from Eastern Washington, was named to the seven-player preseason coaches’ team.

Gunderson ranked fifth in the nation with 154 blocks last season and was named to the All-Big Sky first team.

Cal Poly senior setter Emma Bullis and sophomore middle

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