Thursday, December 13, 2001
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Willoughby Sophomore Kim Willoughby's All-American status was made official yesterday.
an All-American
The Hawaii sophomore is up
The Volleyball All-Americans
for national player of the year,
which will be awarded tomorrowBy Grace Wen
gwen@starbulletin.comThe outside hitter was named to the AVCA All-America first team. Willoughby is one of only two sophomores this year to earn first-team recognition and the 15th Wahine overall to be a first-team honoree.
The award was one of many this season for the 6-foot sophomore who was twice named the AVCA Player of the Week and earned Western Athletic Conference weekly honors four times en route to being named the conference player of the year.
"Because we got knocked out, I didn't actually think I was going to make it," Willoughby said. "It is (different) in its own way, but I just feel that they're all the same because we didn't have that team recognition. I'm just going to look at it as something really good but it could have been even better."
Willoughby shattered several school and league records and is fourth in the NCAA record books with 850 kills this season. Her average of 7.20 kpg topped the nation and kept Hawaii from having a sub-par year. The Wahine finished the season at 29-6 and came up just short in the regional semifinal against UCLA.
"She deserved it and she's proven it all year," Hawaii coach Dave Shoji said. "You can mention her in the same breath as Teee Williams and Deitre Collins. For one year, for this year, no one's had a much better year in the history of our program."
Willoughby is eligible to win the National Player of the Year award, which will be announced tomorrow at the AVCA All-America/Player of the Year banquet in San Diego. She's a long shot at best for the award with seven players, including Stanford's Logan Tom, a 2000 Olympian, on the first team playing in the final four today. The last player to win it without playing in the NCAA championship was Bev Oden of Stanford in 1990.
Willoughby won't be at Saturday's tryout for the USA women's summer training program. She left today and hoped to fly back tomorrow night so she can attend basketball practice Saturday.
"I don't want to get behind because I've been working out with them ... learning all the offenses and all these things," Willoughby said. "I don't want to fall behind. If I want to play, I have to show them that I'll work hard whether it's practice or a game. I have to show the same dedication that I showed in volleyball. I owe that much to them."
Note: With the exception of 1997 Hawaii has had a player on either the first or second All-America team every year ... Only three sophomores -- Greichaly Cepero of Nebraska (2000), Bev Oden (1990) and Teee Williams (1987) -- have been named Player of the Year since the AVCA started the award.
Volleyball All-Americans
First Team
Setters: Dana Burkholder, Arizona, Sr.; Jenna Moscovic, Texas A&M, Sr. Outside hitters: Aury Cruz, Florida, So.; Tayyiba Haneef, Long Beach State, Sr.; Logan Tom, Stanford, Jr.; Kim Willoughby, Hawaii, So. Middle blockers: Amber Holmquist, Nebraska, Jr.; Angela Knopf, Colorado State, Sr.; Sherisa Livingston, Wisconsin, Sr.; Cheryl Weaver, Long Beach State, Sr. Right-side hitters: Nancy Metcalf, Nebraska, Sr.; Jill Talbot, Arizona, Sr.
Second Team
Setters: Greichaly Cepero, Nebraska, Jr.; Lizzy Fitzgerald, Wisconsin, Sr.; Keri Nishimoto, Long Beach State, Sr. Outside hitters: Stacey Gordon, Ohio State, Fr.; Erin Hartley, Michigan State, Sr.; Ogonna Nnamani, Stanford, Fr.; Katie Wilkins, Pepperdine, So. Middle blockers: Benavia Jenkins, Florida, So.; Jennifer Joines, Pacific, So.; Jenny Kropp, Nebraska, Sr.; Katie Olsovsky, Southern California, So. Right-side hitter: Soraya Santos, Colorado State, Sr.
UH Athletics