Warriors excluded from MPSF first team

The best the Warriors could do was a single second-team selection when the awards were announced today

For the first time since 2004, and the seventh time in 15 years of Mountain Pacific Sports Federation membership, Hawaii does not have a player on the all-conference first team.

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The best the Warriors could do was a single second-team selection when the awards were announced today. Earning a place on the second team was senior middle Dio Dante, who leads the conference in blocks (2.09 bpg) and is second nationally. The 2002 Maui High graduate, on the third team last year, was also third in the MPSF in hitting percentage (.466).

Hawaii seniors Brian Beckwith and Lauri Hakala, both first-team All-America and MPSF last season, were named to the third team today, Beckwith, a setter, is sixth in the MPSF in blocks (1.32) and assists (12.16 apg). Hakala, an opposite, is fifth in the MPSF in kills (4.43 kpg) and sixth in points (5.05 ppg).

The Warriors had two other players who rank in the top 10 of MPSF and national statistics missing out completely. Senior hitter Eric Kalima is third in digs (2.36) in the MPSF, 13th nationally, and freshman middle Matt Rawson is fifth in blocks (1.40) in the MPSF, 1.36.

Two other players with isle ties were honored by the MPSF today. UC Irvine sophomore Brent Asuka (Iolani '05), the MPSF and National Newcomer of 2006, was named to the third team and Stanford freshman setter/hitter Kawika Shoji (Iolani '06) was honorable mention.

The Player of the Year was junior setter Jonathan Winder of MPSF regular-season champ Pepperdine and the Newcomer of the Year was BYU's freshman setter Yamil Perez.

Pepperdine's Marv Dunphy was named Coach of the Year.