Sami Blackett, Avery Page and Bella Wooden also earned preseason honors.

Utah Valley is picked to finish first in the WAC for the first time since 2021, when the Wolverines were selected to win the West Division.

“I am so proud of the recognition that the coaches have given to our players and team,” UVU head coach Sam Atoa said. “The challenge now is to press forward and work hard to accomplish what we expect of ourselves. It is important to take care of those things that matter most that will help us get the results we desire.”

The Wolverines had four players on the Preseason All-WAC team, led by Chism, who earned second-team All-WAC honors last season after winning five WAC Setter of the Week awards. She tallied career highs with 1,213 assists for an average of 10.02 per set while helping UVU lead the WAC in several offensive categories. The Bountiful, Utah, native became the first in program history to record 50 or more assists in a match when she tallied 51 against Southern Miss at last season’s Ellesyn Invitational. She finished 2024 with six matches of 50 or more assists, including 58 against Abilene Christian in a reverse sweep. Entering the 2025 season, she ranks sixth all-time at UVU with 1,642 assists.

Blackett earned multiple honors during her freshman season in Orem, including first-team All-WAC, WAC Co-Freshman of the Year and WAC All-Freshman Team. She set the UVU record for single-match kills with 33 against California Baptist in a reverse sweep last October. She led the Wolverines in points (549.5) and kills, averaging 3.99 kills and 4.70 points per set. This is her first Preseason All-WAC selection.

Page earned her third Preseason All-WAC nod after being named first-team All-WAC in 2024. She set career highs with 29 kills and 34 points in a five-set win at Abilene Christian and added a career-best 17 digs against Grand Canyon. Page finished with 54 aces, one shy of UVU’s single-season record, while posting 10 or more kills in 25 matches.

Wooden collected her first Preseason All-WAC honor after one of the best defensive seasons in program history. She is the nation’s leading returning blocker after setting a school record with 196 total blocks. She also tallied 22 solo blocks and 174 block assists, including 13 total blocks at Utah Tech. Wooden’s performance at the WAC Tournament earned her All-Tournament recognition.

The Wolverines, who will play all of their home matches in the UCCU Center as Lockhart Arena undergoes facility upgrades, opens the 2025 season hosting the Utah Valley Invitational with Boise State, Navy and Montana beginning Friday.

WAC Coaches Poll (First-place votes in parentheses)

1. Utah Valley (5) – 34

2. UT Arlington (1) – 29

3. Utah Tech (1) – 25

4. California Baptist – 21

5. Abilene Christian – 17

6. Tarleton State – 12

7. Southern Utah – 9

Preseason Awards

Player of the Year: Kennedi Knudsen, Sr., OH, Utah Tech

Setter of the Year: Evalyn Chism, Jr., Utah Valley

Libero of the Year: Samantha Glenn, Jr., UT Arlington

All-WAC Preseason Team

Eliana Posada, RS, Gr., California Baptist

Emma Burke, MB, Sr., Tarleton State

Samantha Glenn, L, Jr., UT Arlington

Sophie Ocampo, OH, R-Jr., UT Arlington

Kennedi Knudsen, OH, Sr., Utah Tech

Sami Blackett, OH, So., Utah Valley

Evalyn Chism, S, Jr., Utah Valley

Avery Page, OH, Sr., Utah Valley

Bella Wooden, MB, Sr., Utah Valley