SAN BRUNO, Calif.-The Gonzaga women's tennis team received high praise in the West Coast Conference preseason poll Wednesday, getting picked to finish second in the conference and seeing two student-athletes receive Preseason All-WCC distinction.

Juniors Nevada Apollo and Sophie Whittle each earned Preseason All-Conference honors, Apollo the first of her career and Whittle the second. Apollo spent most of last season at No. 1 singles for the Zags, going 10-3 at the top spot. Last fall, she went 9-1 in singles play and earned a spot in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's singles rankings, a career first. Whittle too is coming off a strong tournament season where she competed at the ITA All-American Championships and downed professional player Francoise Abanda at the Central Coast Pro Tennis Open in September. Overall, Whittle went 6-2 for the Bulldogs last fall and 16-7 in 2016-17.

As a team, the Zags were picked second in the WCC preseason poll with 68 points. They've finished in a tie for second place in each of the last two regular seasons. All eight players from last year's squad return, and the roster has been bolstered with the addition of freshman Ashleigh Jacobs of Calgary, Alberta.

Pepperdine was picked to win the conference once again with 81 points, and Loyola Marymount was slotted third, one point behind Gonzaga at 67.

Gonzaga begins the 2018 dual season this Sunday, Jan. 21, with a home match against Montana State. That contest will begin at 11:00 a.m. inside The Stevens Center.

2018 WEST COAST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TENNIS PRESEASON POLL

2018 ALL-WCC PRESEASON WOMEN'S TENNIS TEAM

Nevada Apollo, Gonzaga, Jr.

Madison Clarke, Santa Clara, Jr.

Laura Gulbe, Pepperdine, Sr.

Ashley Lahey, Pepperdine, Soph.

Mayar Sherif, Pepperdine, Sr.

Luisa Stefani, Pepperdine, Jr.

Sophie Whittle, Gonzaga, Jr.

*Seven members due to a tie in voting