Matadors ranked No. 9 in volleyball preseason poll

The Arizona Western College volleyball team will begin its season ranked No. 9 in the NJCAA polls, its highest ranking since November 2004, when the Matadors head to Glendale Community College on Aug. 22.

"It's a great honor, and there's a lot of talent on this team, but those aren't what bring championships," said AWC first-year head coach Karen Sitkiewicz following the release of Thursday's preseason poll. "This is a very strong conference - top to bottom - and this ranking is a bullseye that opponents will look to attack every night now."

Winners of the last eight Region I titles, the Matadors have been ranked five of the past seven years in the NJCAA preseason poll. Along with the addition of Sitkiewicz, who lead Phoenix College to the Division-II Tournament semifinals in 2007, AWC returns Luci Toazzi, an All-ACCAC hitter, setter Kimee Clark and incoming freshmen Tehani-Eilika Hill and Kristin Loveland.

The No. 9 ranking comes despite the absence of four graduating sophomores, including All-American Patty Paniagua. and All-Region freshman hitter Ana Bauer, who opted to stay in her home country of Brazil this year.