The switch from a fall season to spring for boys volleyball in Hawaii was expected to be beneficial in terms of national recognition.

It took two years to happen in a big way.

Volleyball magazine named Punahou's Maddison McKibbin its player of the year and Rick Tune its coach of the year in next month's issue. The Buffanblu won their 28th state championship last May behind McKibbin, a senior hitter named the most outstanding player.

Also named to Volleyball's high school All-America 12-member first team was Punahou sophomore hitter Joshua Taylor. Buffanblu junior setter Taylor Crabb was named to the second team.

“;You never expect these kind of things,”; said Tune, a Punahou graduate who went on to play at Hawaii and Pepperdine. “;I'm just really lucky to have such unbelievable kids and assistants like Peter (Balding) and Stewart (Chong).

“;Maddi deserves all the credit he gets. He's such a good kid all the way around, athletics and academics. The key to his success this year was he finally found his killer instinct and did it consistently, which was hard for him because he's such a fun-loving guy.”;

McKibbin will join his brother Riley on the USC volleyball team this season.