SPOKANE, Wash. -- Whitworth College is ranked 24th in the 2005 CSTV/AVCA Division III Coaches Top 25 preseason poll as the Pirates head into a new season. Whitworth returns five of six starters and the top two liberos from 2004, when the Bucs finished 19-5 overall and 12-4 in the Northwest Conference. Whitworth will open the season at the Washington University Classic on Friday, September 2nd. After playing Illinois Wesleyan in the season opener at 3:00 pm (CDT), the Pirates will take on host Washington University, the nation’s top-ranked team in the same preseason poll, at 7:00 pm (CDT). The Bears finished as national runners-up last season. Fellow NWC member, and defending conference champion, Pacific Lutheran is ranked 22nd. Whitworth’s first home match of 2005 is on September 7th when the Pirates host Lewis-Clark State at 6:00 pm in the Whitworth Fieldhouse. |
