PHOENIX, Ariz. – Hawai'i Hilo senior middle blocker Hillary Hurley (Anderson, CA/Enterprise) has been selected the 2011 Pacific West Conference Preseason Volleyball Player of the Year.

The PacWest announced the preseason player of the year honors, the preseason all-conference team, and the predicted order of finish live during its annual Volleyball Media Day broadcast on Aug. 24 at its new home for the PacWest Magazine Radio Show – KQCK Radio.

Hurley returns to the Vulcans after a stellar 2010 campaign that saw her claim All-PacWest First Team honors for the second time in her career. She was a First Team selection in 2007 when she also was named the PacWest Freshman of the Year. Last season Hurley led the league in kill average with a 4.71 per set mark, while her 5.25 points per set ranked first in the conference.

BYU-Hawaii is the favorite to capture the 2011 crown after sharing the honors with Hawai'i Hilo in 2010. The Seasiders, however, earned the automatic qualifier based on the tiebreakers and claimed a spot in the NCAA Division II West Region Championship tournament.

While BYU-Hawaii earned six first-place votes, California Baptist joins the PacWest this season and already has earned the respect of the league's coaches. The Lancers are predicted to finish second and garnered two first-place votes in the preseason balloting conducted by the head coaches of the league.

Meanwhile, Hawai'i Hilo claimed one first-place vote this preseason, predicting the Vulcans to take third in the league. Academy of Art - picked to finish seventh - grabbed the final first-place vote.

The following is the predicted order of finish for 2011. It includes the teams points and number of first-place votes.

1. BYU-Hawaii - 94 (6)
2. California Baptist - 85 (2)
3. Hawai'i Hilo - 79 (1)
4. Hawai'i Pacific - 71
5. Dixie State - 57
6. Grand Canyon - 48
7. Academy of Art - 45 (1)
8. Notre Dame de Namur - 28
9. Chaminade - 26
10. Dominican (CA) - 18