NWC Preview

We are done with the ASC and the C2C so it’s now time for the NWC! This is our third conference preview that attempts to determine the order of finish for the conferences where our West Region teams will be playing this season. The NWC did play in the spring but they went with the tried and true “separate but equal” approach as the Oregon teams only played teams within their state while the Washington teams did the same a little further north. Is it too soon for segregation jokes? I feel that it may be too soon. (Narrator’s voice: Yes, it is too soon.) It will be good to see the NWC integrated (okay I’ll stop) together after almost 2-years but for the purposes of these rankings, it’s difficult to merge these teams together. Oh well, that’s why I get the big bucks! (Records are from spring 2020.)

1. Whitworth (10-2)

2. Pacific Lutheran (8-4)

3. Pacific (6-2)

4. Puget Sound (5-7)

5. Lewis & Clark (5-3)

6. Willamette (4-4)

7. George Fox (5-4)

8. Whitman (1-11)

9. Linfield (0-8)

I don’t have the latest roster for Whitworth and to make matters worse, their statistics link is faulty and takes you to their schedule. This is why the Whitworth Pirates are known nationally as the “Bad Bucs” while the Southwestern Pirates are universally known as the “Good Bucs”. I don’t make this stuff up. These are not my rules. Google it if you don’t believe me. Regardless, the “Bad Bucs” are going to be really good this year. I don’t see any seniors on the team so if everyone comes back, I see no reason why this team won’t be playing in the NCAA Tournament come November. Pacific Lutheran is losing 2 hitters including their leader in Points/Set in Lauren Wilson. You can never count out the Lutes, however. They recruit well and always play good volleyball. Since 1936*, the conference has been won by either Whitworth or Pacific Lutheran so no reason to move them down any from this spot.

* This may not be exactly correct…but it’s close.

The top Oregon team from the spring takes the third spot but I don’t think the difference between 3 through 5 will be that much this season. Pacific looks to be losing 3 seniors including the two that accounted for the most swings in the spring. That worries me quite a bit but not enough to move them down a spot or two. Why? Did you know that in the last 4-years the top 3 teams in conference have been Pacific, PLU and Whitworth in some order? Why deviate from that? Puget Sound has released their roster and it looks like they are losing 3 players from the spring including two of their better hitters. The one big thing going for the Loggers is that they have a large roster that is very deep in talent. The have the players in-house to compensate for the loss in statistics. The last team I have in this tier is Lewis & Clark. They look to be losing a hitter and a defensive player but what worries me the most is that they are also losing their coach. It’s kind of late in the process to get this resolved in a manner that won’t interfere with the team. Still, this is a good team and it wouldn’t surprise me to see them as high as third when the season ends. I liked how Willamette finished the spring but they have released their 2021 roster and they are losing 3 hitters. It’s enough where I have them in a tier below. Did I mention they are losing both of their middles? Right behind was a team I loved watching in the spring in George Fox. They look like they are losing 5 seniors which includes 4 of their top hitters and their wonderful setter (Laney Search). To get higher up the standings, they will need players to step up or come away with a great recruiting class, which could happen but that’s hard to bet on at this point. It wouldn’t be surprising to see GFU drop another spot or two as this becomes a rebuilding season. Whitman looks to be losing a ton of players (8) from their spring squad. This includes their top hitter in Elyse Benavides and their libero. Whitman played tough in the spring but only came away with one win so I really can’t move them up this list at this point. Linfield looks to have 2 seniors, including their second-best hitter, graduating. Both players were also very important on the defensive side. It’s tough to move Linfield out of the bottom spot until we see some success. Sorry about that but I will be pulling for the Wildcats this season.

It will shock me to see Whitworth run away with the conference simply because no one ever seems to do that. There are always some stumbles along the way. With that said, I really like this “Bad Bucs” team and I’m really curious to see them compete against Trinity and half of the SCIAC. I would love to Barbara Eden fold my arms and blink and send Whitworth to New England for a round of matches. (Narrator’s voice: That means he “wishes”.) I do have Whitworth winning this thing and I actually feel pretty comfortable with that prediction. I also think the rest of the conference will be pretty competitive and with so many unknowns going into this season anything can really happen. Still, let’s assume that my rankings are 100% correct and never speak of them or challenge them again.

I’ve got the SCAC and the SCIAC up next. I’m just saying right now that the SCIAC is going to be like a big city business man deciding to take his wife (who says, “Goodbye city life”) to the green acres of farming. (Narrator’s voice: That means “crazy”.)