CCAA RELEASE

POMONA -- The Cal Poly Pomona volleyball team is predicted to finish in third place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) standings this season, it was announced by the CCAA Monday following a poll of the league's coaches.

Led by fourth-year head coach Traci Dahl, the Broncos return 11 student-athletes to this year's roster from the 2021 team, including All-American Daisy Duke, who led an incredible 15-win turnaround from just eight wins in 2019 to 23 last season. Eight newcomers will also bring significant talent to the team this fall, including three NCAA Division I transfers in outside hitter Samantha Campion (previously at College of Charleston), setter/right side hitter Giselle Vogel (transfer from Baylor University) and setter Caitie Mueller (incoming from Liberty University).

Cal State San Bernardino is the five-time defending CCAA Tournament Championships and six-time defending CCAA regular-season champions; it comes as no surprise that it enters the campaign as the preseason favorites to win the conference for a seventh straight year. The Yotes ride a 40-match CCAA regular-season undefeated streak into the season, having not dropped a conference contest since the Broncos beat them in Pomona in October of 2018.
 
Cal State LA collected the remaining first-place vote and finished second in the polls, one point ahead of Cal Poly Pomona, with 124 points. The Golden Eagles reached the NCAA West Regional championship match last season after sweeping Cal State San Bernardino in the regional semifinals. CSULA posted a 20-10 record on the season and a 13-5 mark in conference play while leading the league in digs, assists, and total kills.
 
The Broncos posted a 23-5 record last season thanks to an 11-match winning streak to start the season and an eight-match winning streak to close out the regular season. They led the CCAA last season as a team with a .280 hitting percentage, propelling them to a runner-up finish in the CCAA Tournament and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in the last three seasons.
 
It was also a very tight battle for fourth place in the polls, as two points separated three teams. Cal State San Marcos claimed the fourth spot in the poll with 97 points, followed closely by San Francisco State with 96 points. Sonoma State earned the sixth spot with 95 points.
 
Cal State San Marcos is coming off a season in which it went 9-9 in the CCAA (12-13 overall) and earned the No. 6 seed in the CCAA Tournament. The Cougars will be going for their fifth consecutive appearance in the CCAA Tournament. San Francisco State is coming off a season in which it earned the program's first-ever win in the CCAA Tournament. The Gators went 22-5 season, including a perfect 16-0 record at home. They opened the season with eight straight wins and carried that momentum through the season to earn the No. 3 seed in the CCAA Tournament. San Francisco State led the conference in opponent hitting percentage (.174) and was second in total aces (200) last season. Sonoma State went 13-13 last season and won four of its final five CCAA regular-season games to earn its fifth trip to the CCAA Tournament in the past six years. 
 
Cal State Monterey Bay (62) and Stanislaus State (54) occupy the seventh and eighth spots on the list. CSUMB went 13-9 in 2021 but ended with a 6-11 record in conference play after taking some forfeit losses due to COVID protocols. Last year, the Otters were fourth in the CCAA and 41st in the country with a .232 hitting percentage. Stanislaus State posted a 12-14 record last season and missed the CCAA Tournament for just the second time since it was created in 2015. 
 
Ninth place was also highly contested, with three teams also finishing within two points. Cal State East Bay (43) edged out Chico State (42) and Cal State Dominguez Hills (41) to place ninth. Cal Poly Humboldt rounded out the poll with 16 points.

Cal Poly Pomona will open its 2022 campaign against Michigan Tech on Friday at 9:30 am at the Otter Classic, hosted by Cal State Monterey Bay in Seaside. Later that day, the Broncos will take on Dominican at 5:00 pm before wrapping up the two-day event on Saturday at Noon against Academy of Art. A week later, CPP will be in San Diego for the Seaside Invitational hosted by Point Loma for three matches spread over two days. CCAA play then opens up on Sept. 9 when Cal Poly Pomona heads back to Cal State Monterey Bay for a 5:00 pm first serve. The first home contest for the Broncos is set for Sept. 13 when they host Azusa Pacific for a mid-week, non-conference match at 6:00 pm before their first CCAA home match of the year against Cal Poly Humboldt on Sept. 16 at 5:00 pm.

For a full 2022 Cal Poly Pomona volleyball schedule, CLICK HERE.

All home matches and most away contests will stream live online via the CCAA Network at www.ccaanetwork.com. You may also download the CCAA Network app on your iOS or Android smartphone, tablet, or through web streaming devices such as Amazon Fire, Roku or Apple TV. For $9.95 per month, subscribers will have access to all CCAA broadcasts, both live and on-demand, for one low monthly price. Over half of each monthly subscription purchase will go directly back to the CCAA Athletic Department of your choice to support the student-athlete experience. Sign-ups are available right now at each universities' network portal. Just go to CCAAnetwork.com, select your favorite team at the top and the 'click to subscribe.'

Tickets are also on sale now for all CPP home matches. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets online prior to coming to campus at broncoathletics.com/tickets or by downloading the HomeTown Fan app on your smartphone or tablet. New this year, only debit and credit cards will be accepted at the box office for admission. Limited concession items will be on sale on-site as well, but the concession stand will only accept cash.

Follow the Broncos all season long by going to broncoathletics.com/followus and sign up to receive breaking news and final score updates throughout the year.
 
COVID-19 SPECTATOR POLICIES FOR 2022-23

Spectators, visitors, and guest must follow campus guidelines. Please visit https://www.cpp.edu/safer-return/health-and-safety-protocols/index.shtml for the most updated information about Cal Poly Pomona's COVID-19 Health and Safety information. Individuals who are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms or are under quarantine or isolation orders should not attend any events until cleared by a medical professional.

Please be aware that the above policies and restrictions are subject to change and can be modified at any time without notice in order to comply with the most current state, local and campus health guidelines. The CPP athletics department will give updates to the above policies and restrictions via our website and our social media channels on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at the handle @CPPBroncos.