TACOMA, Wash. — The reigning Northwest Conference Tournament Champion Pacific Lutheran University volleyball team is the preseason favorite to win the league title, snagging the top spot in the annual NWC Coaches' Poll released on Tuesday.
 
The Lutes accumulated 60 points in the poll, including five of the nine first place endorsements, stealing the top spot by a three-point margin. Crosstown rival University of Puget Sound (18-8, 14-2 NWC) was picked second with 57 points and the remaining four first place votes. Last year's No. 1 seed at the NWC Tournament, Whitworth University (21-7, 14-2 NWC), rounds out the top three with 52 points.
 
Whitman College (10-13, 9-7 NWC) and Willamette University (12-12, 10-6 NWC) are tied for fourth with 35 points while George Fox University (7-15, 4-12 NWC) is sixth with 32 points. Linfield University (9-12, 7-9 NWC) is seventh with 28 points with Pacific University (5-16, 2-14 NWC) and Lewis & Clark College (0-23, 0-16 NWC) rounding out the poll. Pacific sits eighth with 17 points while Lewis & Clark is ninth with eight points.

PLU placed third in the regular season standings last fall but won the NWC Tournament for the second time in three years to punch a ticket to the NCAA Division III Championships. The Lutes wrapped up the season with a 16-10 overall record with a 12-4 mark in conference play.
 
Pacific Lutheran begins the season on Sept. 1 at Northwest University before opening league play inside Olson Gymnasium on Sept. 18, hosting George Fox.