Upcoming Event: Volleyball versus Weber State (Exhibition) on August 15, 2026 at 3:00 P.M.
3:00 P.M.
Volleyball
vs Weber State (Exhibition)
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The University of Utah Athletics
Utah Volleyball Picked Third In Preseason Coaches Poll
8/7/2000 12:00 AM | Volleyball
Aug. 7, 2000
Salt Lake City - The University of Utah Women's Volleyball team, which made its second-consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament last season, was picked to finish third in the preseason coaches poll. BYU and Colorado State each received four first-place votes to headline the 2000 Mountain West Conference Women's Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll.
The Cougars captured the inaugural regular season MWC Championship in 1999, but the Rams took home the MWC Tournament Championship after defeating BYU in the title match. San Diego State and UNLV tied for fourth, followed by New Mexico at No. 6, Wyoming at No. 7 and Air Force at No. 8.
Eight All-Mountain West Conference players return for the 2000 season, led by MWC Player of the Year and AVCA Second Team All-American Nina Puikkonen (BYU, Jr., MB). Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year Sunny Tonga (So., OH) also returns to lead the Cougars. Colorado State returns All-MWC first-team selection Angela Knopf (Jr., MB) and second-team honoree Courtney Cox (Jr., OH). McKelle Stilson (Jr., MB), first-team All-MWC, and Alisa Geddes (Jr., OH), second-team All-MWC, will lead Utah, and first-team performer Melody Friehauf is the lone all-conference returnee for Wyoming.
Utah opens the 2000 volleyball season Sept. 1-2 at the New Hampshire Tournament, where they will face Eastern Michigan, UMASS and New Hampshire.
The Mountain West Conference season opens Sept. 22 with Utah hosting San Diego State and UNLV visiting BYU.
2000 Mountain West Conference Preseason Coaches Poll
Team (1st-place votes) Pts. 1999 Record 1999 Notes 1. BYU# (4) 53 28-5 / 13-1 NCAA No. 12 seed, advanced to East Regional semifinals, Colorado State* (4) 53 30-3 / 12-2 NCAA No. 11 seed, advanced to Mountain Regional semifinals, 3. Utah 41 22-10 / 10-4 NCAA No. 21 seed, advanced to 2nd Rnd., finished 3rd in MWC, 4. San Diego State 36 11-19 / 4-10 Tied for 6th in MWC, UNLV 36 12-14 / 4-10 Tied for 6th in MWC, 6. New Mexico 26 11-12 / 5-9 Tied for 4th in MWC, 7. Wyoming 18 9-21 / 3-11 Finished 8th in MWC, 8. Air Force 17 17-12 / 5-9 Tied for 4th in MWC
#-indicates 1999 MWC regular season champion, *-indicates 1999 MWC tournament champion
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