PORTLAND, Ore. — While LIV Golf appears in trouble, LIV Volleyball continues to thrive. At least the LIV who plays for Portland State as Alivia Eikenberg – nicknamed "Liv" – received preseason All-Big Sky honors Wednesday.
 
The preseason honors follow first-team All-Big Sky honors for Eikenberg last fall. Eikenberg made the first team as a freshman, becoming the first Viking to do so since Garyn Schlatter in 2010. She was the only freshman across the conference to make either the All-Big Sky first or second teams.
 
Eikenberg earned her accolades after ranking second in the Big Sky with 4.25 kills per set within conference play. She averaged 3.82 kills per set across all matches last season, an average that ranked her fourth nationally among all freshmen in NCAA Division I.
 
Eikenberg recorded 10+ kills in all 14 conference matches in which she played, when she also had 11 of her team-high 15 double-doubles. Additionally, three of her four matches with 20+ kills came in Big Sky play, including a career-high 28 kills on .380 hitting against Eastern Washington on Oct. 23. That was the most kills by a Viking since Whitney Phillips had 28 against Montana State on Sept. 17, 2010.
 
Eikenberg's 15 double-doubles were one off the freshman record of 16 that Melissa Osterloh set in 2004. She set five single-season freshman records between kills (397), kills per set (3.82), attempts (1,134), points (435.5) and points per set (4.19).
 
Wednesday also brought the release of the Big Sky preseason coaches poll. The Vikings were picked to finish eighth in the conference. Northern Colorado and Northern Arizona – the defending Big Sky tournament and regular-season champions, respectively – topped the poll. The Bears edged the 'Jacks by three points, 88-85, despite both teams receiving four first-place votes. Idaho State and Montana, which earned two first-place votes, finished tied for third with 72 points each.

Preseason MVP
Hanah Stoddard, Northern Arizona
 
Preseason All-Conference Team
Hanah Stoddard, Northern Arizona (Preseason MVP)
Rose Moore, Weber State
Delaney Russell, Montana
Jaydin Watts, Idaho State
Alayna Tessena, Northern Colorado
Gigi Greenlee, Northern Arizona
Alivia Eikenberg, Portland State
Joelie Spelts, Montana State
Nerea Alvarez Jorge, Northern Colorado
Teagan Jaynes, Montana State
Gracie Cagle, Montana
 
Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Northern Colorado (4) - 88
2. Northern Arizona (4) - 85
T3. Idaho State - 72
T3. Montana (2) - 72
5. Weber State - 69
6. Montana State - 61
7. Utah Tech (1) - 57
8. Portland State - 43
9. Idaho – 25
10. Eastern Washington – 18
11. Southern Utah - 15

() - First-place votes