Despite winning the last four conference championships, the Hawaii women’s volleyball team was picked to finish second in the Big West Preseason Coaches’ Poll released today.

Senior setter Kate Lang and junior outside hitter Caylen Alexander were named to the seven-player Big West Women’s Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Team, also released today.

Both are repeat selections to the team.

Lang, who made the all-conference first team as a freshman and sophomore, was voted to the second team last season despite leading the Big West in total assists (1,229) and assists per set (10.5). She also won eight conference Setter of the Week awards.

Alexander earned honorable mention honors last season after she was the Big West Freshman of the Year two seasons ago. She ranked second on the team and sixth in the conference averaging 3.10 kills per set and had a run of 16 consecutive matches in double figures in kills.

Hawaii received three of 10 first-place votes in the coaches poll and finished nine votes behind Cal Poly, which earned five first-place votes.

The Mustangs, who tied the Rainbow Wahine for second place in the regular season last year at 14-4, did not have a senior on their roster last season.

Hawaii swept Cal Poly in the semifinals of the inaugural Big West Conference tournament last season before sweeping host Long Beach State in the final to advance to the NCAA Tournament, where it made it to the second round.

The Beach earned two first-place votes and are picked to finish third this season while UC Santa Barbara, which went 17-1 in conference play in the regular season to earn the top seed in the BWC tournament, was picked fourth with one first-place vote.

UH opens its season next Friday hosting SMU in the first game of the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Volleyball Classic.