Posted by Press Democrat Staff Writer Michael Coit:
Following two straight NCAA tournament appearances Sonoma State’s volleyball team has earned its first preseason top 25 national ranking.
Sonoma State was 21st in the American Volleyball Coaches Association coaches poll.
Yet the Seawolves were behind three California Collegiate Athletic Association rivals in the AVCA preseason rankings: Cal State San Bernardino (2); UC San Diego (8); and Cal State Los Angeles (14).
Cal State Los Angeles bounced Sonoma State in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Volleyball Championship Tournament last season, finishing 23-8.
Sonoma State opens the 2010 season hosting the fifth annual Seawolf Spike, an eight-team tournament set for Sept. 3-4. Sonoma State will face Dominican, BYU-Hawaii, Grand Canyon and Seattle Pacific.
Leading the Seawolves are a trio of players named to the AVCA All-West Region Team after last season. Taylor Krenwinkel, from San Diego, and Keala Peterson, a UC Davis transfer who attended Analy high, were first team selections. Ally Sather, out of Maria Carrillo high, was honorable mention.
Several other Sonoma County prep stars have joined Sonoma State for the coming season.
Petaluma’s Kaitlyn Dunaway and Hayley Ross are freshmen. Lindsay Lytle, a transfer after two years with the University of Rhode Island team, played at Analy with Peterson.
