The Western Athletic Conference volleyball coaches selected their 2001 postseason award winners today. Earning Player of the Year honors was Hawai`i sophomore outside hitter Kim Willoughby. Rices Rebeca Pazo earned Freshman of the Year honors, while Hawai`is Dave Shoji captured Coach of the Year accolades.
Three teams had a total of five players named to the All-WAC first and second teams. Hawai`i, seeded first in the WAC Tournament, had four players named to the first team and one named to the second team. Second-seeded Nevada and sixth-seeded SMU both placed two on the first team and three on the second team.
For the sixth-straight year, Hawai`i boasts the Player of the Year. Willoughby is first in the nation in kills (6.95 kpg), while leading the WAC in hitting percentage (.349). The sophomore was Co-Freshmen of the Year last season and has been named National Player of the Week twice this season.
Rices Rebeca Pazo earned the schools first Freshman of the Year honor. Hawai`i had earned the honor the last two seasons. Pazo helped lead the Owls to its best WAC record under head coach Julio Morales (10-3) and enter the WAC Tournament on a nine-match winning streak. She is the only freshman on the first team.
Shoji, who won his fourth honor, has guided the Rainbow Wahine to a 23-4 overall record, 13-0 in the WAC. It marked the sixth-straight season that the Rainbow Wahine have won the WAC title. The Wahine rebounded from a tough 3-4 start to enter the tournament with a 20-match winning streak.
The first WAC Tournament since 1998 will begin Thursday, Nov. 15 in San Jose, Calif. The eighth-seeded Tulsa takes on ninth-seeded Boise State in match one at 6 p.m. (PT), while seventh-seeded UTEP faces No. 10 Louisiana Tech in match two at 8:00 p.m.
2001 WAC VOLLEYBALL POSTSEASON AWARD WINNERS
First Team
Brianna Blair SJSU
Maja Gustin Hawai`i
Hedder Ilustre Hawai`i
Tara Hatfield SMU
Liz Hudson SJSU
Kellie LaBossiere Nevada
Shauna McQuaid FS
Michelle More Nevada
Janna Newsom SMU
Rebeca Pazo Rice
Margaret Vakasausau Hawai`i
Kim Willoughby Hawai`i
Second Team
Jennifer Abbruzzese UTEP
Whitney Arena FS
Christy Burnett FS
Jill Couwenhoven Nevada
Lauren Duggins Hawai`i
Beth Karasek SMU
Leslie Lasiter SMU
Leigh Leman Rice
Savannah Smith SJSU
Shannon Stemler Nevada
Suzanne Stonebarger Nevada
Sara Warner SMU
Player of the Year: Kim Willoughby, Hawai`i
Freshman of the Year: Rebeca Pazo, Rice
Coach of the Year: Dave Shoji, Hawai`i