Wahine dominate All-WAC honors
POSTED: Monday, November 23, 2009
LAS VEGAS » Perfect in the regular season. Perfect in the top all-conference awards.
No. 3 Hawaii dominated the Western Athletic Conference volleyball season with a 16-0 record. Last night, the Rainbow Wahine also batted 1.000 by picking up the player, coach and freshman of the year awards at the WAC tournament banquet, as well as having all seven of the regular starters named to either the first or second team.
Sophomore hitter Kanani Danielson kept the Hawaii streak alive by being named player of the year. A Wahine has shared the honor or won it outright every season since Hawaii joined the conference in 1996.
“;Kanani has certainly lived up to the hype (of being named preseason player of the year),”; said Dave Shoji, the WAC coach of the year. “;She's responded whenever we've needed her.”;
It was the seventh such honor—first since 2005—for Shoji, who became the second Division I women's coach to win 1,000 matches earlier this season. Shoji said he voted for Idaho coach Debbie Buchanan.
Middle Brittany Hewitt became the seventh Wahine to earn freshman of the year honors, an award won by Danielson last year. Hewitt has been in the top 15 in blocking in the country all season, and the national leader for several weeks.
“;I think Brittany's the best freshman in the league,”; Shoji said. “;She contributes so much to our team.”;
Joining Danielson on the first team were senior middle Amber Kaufman, senior hitter Aneli Cubi-Otineru and junior setter Dani Mafua. The four were also on the 12-member preseason All-WAC team.
Sophomore hitter Stephanie Ferrell, a preseason selection, was named to the second team. Joining her were junior libero Elizabeth Ka'aihue and Hewitt.
Island players at other schools picked up their share of honors. Named to the first team was Nevada junior hitter Kylie Harrington (St. Francis '07), while the Pack's Elissa Ji (Maryknoll '09) made the all-freshman team. Also named to the all-freshman team were San Jose State setter Caitlin Andrade and hitter Alex Akana, both '09 Kamehameha graduates.
ALL-WAC WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
First Team | |||
Player | Pos. | Yr. | School |
Sarah Conwell | OH | Sr. | Idaho |
Aneli Cubi-Ontineru | OH | Sr. | Hawaii |
Kanani Danielson | OH | So. | Hawaii |
Kelsey Brennan | MB | So. | New Mexico St. |
Jennah DeVries | S | So. | New Mexico St. |
Kayleigh Giddens | OH | Jr. | New Mexico St. |
Kylie Harrington | OH | Jr. | Nevada |
Amber Kaufman | MB | Sr. | Hawaii |
Dani Mafua | S | Jr. | Hawaii |
Anna McKinney | MB | Sr. | Idaho |
Debbie Pederson | MB | Sr. | Idaho |
Whitney Woods | OH | Jr. | New Mexico State
|
Second Team | |||
Lindsay Baldwin | MB | Jr. | Nevada |
Erin Birmingham | MB | Sr. | New Mexico State |
Brianna Clarke | OH | So. | Fresno State |
KC Clayton | MB | Sr. | Louisiana Tech |
Stephanie Ferrell | OH | So. | Hawaii |
Brittany Hewitt | MB | Fr. | Hawaii |
Elizabeth Ka'aihue | L | Jr | Hawaii |
Kelly Leonardo | MB | Sr. | Fresno State |
Sadie Maughan | MB | Jr. | Boise State |
Liz McArthur | OH | So. | Utah State |
Breann Nesselhuf | S | So. | Boise State |
Alisha Young | OH | Jr. | Boise State
|
All-Freshman | |||
Player | Pos. | School | |
Alex Akana | OH | San Jose State | |
Caitlin Andrade | S | San Jose State | |
Marissa Brand | MB | Fresno State | |
Liz Harden | OH | Boise State | |
Brittany Hewitt | MB | Hawaii | |
Elissa Ji | OH | Nevada |
Player of the year: Kanani Danielson, Hawaii
Freshman of the year: Brittany Hewitt, Hawaii
Coach of the year: Dave Shoji, Hawaii