12:09pm | Long Beach State was picked to win the 2011 Big West Women’s Volleyball championship, in a poll of the league’s coaches released today. The 49ers received seven of nine total first-place votes.
 
Led by two-time AVCA Honorable Mention outside hitter Caitlin Ledoux and first-team All-Big West selection Haleigh Hampton, the 49ers return five starters from last season’s team that reached the NCAA Tournament for a 24th consecutive season. Long Beach State also brings back Honorable Mention All-Big West pick Janisa Johnson and All-Freshman Team member Delainey Aigner-Swesey, joining a young squad that for the second year in a row brings in one of the nation’s highest-rated recruiting classes.
 
The 49ers received seven first-place votes and finished with 78 points, just ahead of the Cal Poly Mustangs, who got the other two first place votes and finished with 72 total points. UC Santa Barbara was picked third with 53 points, just in front of 2010 league champion Cal State Fullerton with 52 points. Pacific was also just a single point behind that group with 51 points.
 
Rounding out the list, UC Davis was picked to finish sixth and UC Irvine seventh, with Cal State Northridge and UC Riverside rounding out the field in eighth and ninth.
 
Long Beach State will be hosting an open practice on Friday, August 12 from 4 p.m. to 5p.m. in the Goldmine, giving fans their very first look at the 2011 team. The team’s first contest will be against the Alumni on Saturday, August 20, with the official season opener coming on Friday, August 26 at 11 a.m. against Prairie View A&M.
 
2011 Big West Women’s Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll

1. Long Beach State (7): 78
2. Cal Poly (2): 72
3. UC Santa  Barbara: 53
4. Cal State Fullerton: 52
5. Pacific: 51
6. UC Davis: 38
7. UC Irvine: 30
8. CS Northridge: 20
9. UC Riverside: 11