DENVER ?“ The Western Athletic Conference 2005 postseason award winners were announced today as selected by the league?™s head coaches.
Hawai'i setter Kanoe Kamana`o was named the WAC Player of the Year. This is the second-straight player of the year honor for the junior who was also an All-American last season. New Mexico State?™s Amber Simpson captured Freshman of the Year honors. She was the first player not from Hawai'i to win the award since 2002. Hawai'i?™s Dave Shoji and New Mexico State?™s Mike Jordan were named WAC co-Coaches of the Year.
Six different schools were represented on the first team and eight overall. Hawai'i, the first seed in the WAC Tournament, had five players named to the first team and three to the second team. Second-seeded Utah State had two placed on the first team and one on the second team, while New Mexico State placed two on the first team and three on the second.
For the 10th-straight year, Hawai'i boasts the WAC Player of the Year. Kamana`o has been among the nation?™s leaders in assists per game, averaging 13.72. The junior finished conference play leading the WAC in assists per game (13.70). She is a three-time first-team honoree. Kamana`o is one of four returning first-team members along with Boise State?™s Cameron Flunder, Nevada?™s Salaia Salave`a and Hawai'i?™s Victoria Prince. Salave`a is a four-time all-WAC honoree. Flunder earned her third-straight honor, while Prince earned her second-straight award.
New Mexico State?™s Amber Simpson earned Freshman of the Year honors in the Aggies?™ first season in the WAC, averaging 1.35 block per ga,e and hitting .318. She was also one of six players named to the all-freshman team. Both Idaho and San Jose State placed two on the all-freshman team. Vandals Sarah Loney and Haley Larsen earned honors along with Spartans Colleen Burke and Brittany Collet.
For the first time since 2000, the WAC has co-Coaches of the Year. Hawai'i?™s Dave Shoji and New Mexico State?™s Mike Jordan both earned the honor. This is Shoji?™s sixth Coach of the Year award, Jordan?™s third-straight coach of the year honor after earning back-to-back awards in the Sun Belt Conference.
The WAC Tournament will begin Thursday, Nov. 26 in Reno, Nev. There will be five matches on Thursday with No. 8 Boise State facing No. 9 Louisiana Tech in the first match of the day. No. 3 New Mexico State will take on No. 6 San Jose State in the next match, followed by No. 2 Utah State battling No. 7 Fresno State. Last year?™s finalist, Nevada, which is the No. 4 seed will take on No. 5 Idaho in the first evening match, followed by No. 1 Hawai'i taking on the winner of the No. 8 vs. No. 9 match.
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ssssssssssssssssssssss 2005 VOLLEYBALL POSTSEASON AWARD WINNERS
All-Conference
First Team
Zuzana Cernianska, Utah State
Jackie Choi, New Mexico State
Cameron Flunder, Boise State
Kanoe Kamana`o, Hawai'i
Sarah Mason, Hawai'i
Kim Oguh, New Mexico State
Victoria Prince, Hawai'i
Ingrid Roth, Utah State
Salaia Salave`a, Nevada
Juliana Sanders, Hawai'i
Jennifer Senftleben, San Jose State
Ashley Watanabe, Hawai'i
Second Team
Susie Boogaard, Hawai'i
Alice Borden, New Mexico State
Jordan Bostic, New Mexico State
Teal Ericson, Nevada
Erin Graybill, Utah State
Tara Hittle, Hawai'i
Jamie Houston, Hawai'i
Haley Larsen, Idaho
Alison Pitton, Fresno State
Amber Simpson, New Mexico State
Karly Sipherd, Nevada
Jessie Shull, San Jose State
All-Freshman Team
Colleen Burke, San Jose State
Brittany Collet, San Jose State
Jamie Houston, Hawai'i
Haley Larsen, Idaho
Sarah Loney, Idaho
Amber Simpson, New Mexico State
Kasie Spencer, Fresno State
WAC Player of the Year: Kanoe Kamana`o, Hawai'i
WAC Coach of the Year: Dave Shoji, Hawai'i; Mike Jordan, New Mexico State
WAC Freshman of the Year: Amber Simpson, New Mexico State