Kamana'o is best in WAC for third straight year

All seven of Hawaii's starters walk away from the conference's banquet with an award

RENO, Nev. » On senior night at the Stan Sheriff Center, more than 100 family and friends of Kanoe Kamana'o wore a simple green T-shirt that read: "No Better Setter."

As far as the Western Athletic Conference coaches are concerned, this week's T-shirt should read: "No Better Player."

For the third year in a row, Kamana'o was named player of the year. The announcement came at last night's WAC tournament banquet at Circus Circus.

There was plenty to celebrate at the Rainbow Wahine tables. All seven Hawaii players who had started for most of the season were honored by the WAC.

Five Wahine were named to the first team, led by Kamana'o, a four-time first-team selection. Senior hitter Sarah Mason and junior middle Juliana Sanders were repeat first-teamers, sophomore hitter Jamie Houston moved up from the second team pick of 2005, while junior middle Kari Gregory earned her first conference honor.

Hawaii libero Jayme Lee and hitter Amber Kaufman were named to the All-Freshman Team.

Coach of the Year honors went to New Mexico State's Mike Jordan, who shared the award with Wahine coach Dave Shoji last season. Fresno State hitter Lacey Gera was named freshman of the year.

Shoji was not surprised by the selections of his players.

"Statistically our players were at the top or near that top in every category," he said. "I think the coaches based their votes statistically and they felt our players deserved the recognition.

"I think both Sarah and Jamie deserved consideration for Player of the Year, but you certainly can't argue about the choice. Kanoe is a good one."

A Wahine has either shared or earned the Player of the Year outright since Hawaii joined the WAC in 1996. Kamana'o is the second Wahine to win three straight, following on the heels of Kim Willoughby (2001-03).

Hawaii (23-5, 15-1), the top seed in the WAC tournament, which began today, dominated the conference statistically en route to its 11th consecutive regular-season WAC title, 12th in a row including the Big West in 1995. The Wahine are first in assists, blocks and hitting percentage, and second in opponent hitting percentage, kills and aces.

Individually, Hawaii has four players in the top 10 in hitting percentage: Sanders (one), Gregory (five), Mason (eight) and Houston (10). Houston and Mason rank 1-2 in kills and total points (kills, blocks, aces), while Mason is the leader in aces with Houston fourth and Kamana'o ninth.

Kamana'o, UH's career assist leader, also tops the WAC in that category. Lee and Mason rank eighth and ninth in digs.

New Mexico State, which ended Hawaii's 114-match WAC win streak this season, had four players named to the first team in senior middle Alice Borden, senior setter Jackie Choi, junior hitter Kim Oguh and sophomore middle Amber Simpson. Also named were Idaho senior middle Erin Curtis, San Jose State senior libero Jessie Shull and Boise State senior middle Cameron Flunder.

Interestingly, the preseason All-WAC team is nearly identical to yesterday's. There were three differences, although the schools they represent were the same: from Hawaii it was Gregory instead of preseason choice junior Tara Hittle, injured for most of the year; senior middle Curtis instead of Vandal sophomore Haley Larsen; and Shull instead of Spartan junior hitter Jennifer Senftleben.

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All-WAC Volleyball

Player of Year: Kanoe Kamana'o, Hawaii

Coach of Year: Mike Jordan, New Mexico State

Freshman of Year: Lacey Gera, Fresno State

FIRST TEAM

Player	School	Pos.	Yr.
Alice Borden	New Mexico State	MH	Sr.
Jackie Choi	New Mexico State	S	Sr.
Erin Curtis	Idaho	MB	Sr.
Cameron Flunder	Boise State	MB	Sr.
Kari Gregory	Hawaii	MB	Jr.
Jamie Houston	Hawaii	LS	So.
Kanoe Kamana'o	Hawaii	S	Sr.
Sarah Mason	Hawaii	LS	Sr.
Kim Oguh	New Mexico State	OH	Jr.
Juliana Sanders	Hawaii	MB	Jr.
Jessie Shull	San Jose State	L	Sr.
Amber Simpson	New Mexico State	MH	So.

SECOND TEAM

Player	School	Pos.	Yr.
Saxony Brown	Idaho	S	Sr.
Colleen Burke	San Jose State	MB	So.
Niki Clement	San Jose State	OH	So.
Teal Ericson	Nevada	S	Sr.
Haley Larsen	Idaho	OH	So.
Amanda Nielson	Utah State	OH	Jr.
Shannon Phillips	Louisiana Tech	OH	Jr.
Karly Sipherd	Nevada	MB	Jr.
Stacy Sode	Idaho	L	Sr.
Jackie Stroud	Boise State	L	Sr.
Krystal Torres	New Mexico State	L	So.

ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM

Player	School	Pos.
Lacey Gera	Fresno State	OH
Jayme Lee	Hawaii	L
Debbie Pederson	Idaho	MB
Melissa Larson	Utah State	MB
Jorgan Staker	Nevada	RS
Amber Kaufman	Hawaii	RS