Colorado State University volleyball dominates Mountain West preseason honors

Kevin Lytle | The Coloradoan

The CSU volleyball team is the overwhelming favorite to win the Mountain West in 2018.

The Rams were picked first in the MW preseason poll released Wednesday, with the defending conference champs receiving 10 of 11 first-place votes. Colorado State University coach Tom Hilbert provided the lone No. 1 vote for second-place Wyoming. Coaches can't vote for their own team.

The preseason all-conference team was essentially a glance at the Rams' roster, with CSU taking four of seven spots.

Rams on the preseason all-conference team are junior middle blockers Paulina Hougaard-Jensen and Kirstie Hillyer, sophomore outside hitter Breana Runnels and junior setter Katie Oleksak.

Oleksak was the 2017 MW Player of the Year and was picked as the conference's 2018 preseason Player of the Year.

The Rams open the 2018 season at 7 p.m. Aug. 24 with their white-out game against No. 12 Illinois.

CSU is No. 24 in the preseason poll and is aiming for its 24th consecutive NCAA tournament berth this season.

Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle at twitter.com/Kevin_Lytle and at facebook.com/KevinSLytle.