IRVINE, Calif. – For the second consecutive year, the University of Hawai'i men's volleyball was picked to finish second in the preseason Big West Conference Coaches' Poll.
 
The Rainbow Warriors earned 28 votes trailing preseason favorite and defending BWC champion Long Beach State (36). The Beach earned all six first place votes. UC Irvine (26) was picked third followed by UC Santa Barbara (16), CSUN (11), and UC San Diego (9).
 
In the BWC's inaugural season, the Beach defeated the Warriors in the tournament championship match en route to their second national title. LBSU returns five All-Americans including national player of the year Josh Tuaniga. 
 
The Warriors were picked No. 3 in the preseason AVCA Top 15 Coaches Poll, their highest since opening at No. 3 in 2005. UH finished 19-8 last season and missed out on an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament but return four All-Americans including first-teamer Stijn van Tilburg.
 
Hawai'i hosts this year's Big West Tournament, April 18-20 at the Stan Sheriff Center. UH opens the season with a pair of exhibition matches against the University British Columbia, Jan. 4-5.