DENVER ? The Western Athletic Conference 2006 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 third-straight player of the year honor for the senior who was also an All-American last season. Kamana`o joins former Rainbow Wahine All-American Kim Willoughby as the only three-time WAC Players of the Year (2001-03). Fresno State’s Lacey Gera captured Freshman of the Year honors. She was the first Bulldog to win the award since Brenda Gregersen in 1992. New Mexico State’s Mike Jordan was named WAC Coach of the Year.
Five 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. Second-seeded New Mexico State had four placed on the first team and one on the second team, while San Jose State placed one on the first team and two on the second.
For the 11th-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 13.53. The senior finished conference play leading the WAC in assists per game (13.74). She is a four-time first-team honoree. Kamana`o is one of six returning first-team members along with Boise State’s Cameron Flunder, New Mexico State’s Kim Oguh and Jackie Choi, and Hawai?i’s Juliana Sanders and Sarah Mason. Flunder earned her fourth-straight honor.
Fresno State’s Lacey Gera earned Freshman of the Year honors. She was also one of six players named to the all-freshman team. Hawai?i placed two on the all-freshman team. The Rainbow Wahine’s Amber Kaufman and Jayme Lee earned honors along with Idaho’s Debbie Pederson, Nevada’s Jorgan Staker and Utah State’s Melissa Larson.
This is Michael Jordan’s second-straight Coach of the Year honor. Last season, he shared the award with Hawai?i head coach Dave Shoji. This is Jordan’s fourth-straight coach of the year honor after earning back-to-back awards in the Sun Belt Conference.
The WAC Tournament will begin Wednesday, Nov. 22 in Reno, Nev. There will be five matches on Wednesday with No. 8 Fresno State facing No. 9 Louisiana Tech in the first match of the day. No. 3 Idaho will take on No. 6 Utah State in the next match, followed by No. 2 New Mexico State battling No. 7 Boise State. Host school, Nevada, which is the No. 4 seed will take on No. 5 San Jose State in the first evening match, followed by No. 1 Hawai?i taking on the winner of the No. 8 vs. No. 9 match.
2006 VOLLEYBALL POSTSEASON AWARD WINNERS
All-Conference
First Team
Alice Borden$$, New Mexico State, MH, Sr.
Jackie Choi$, New Mexico State, S, Sr.
Erin Curtis, Idaho, MB, Sr.
Cameron Flunder$++^, Boise State, MB, Sr.
Kari Gregory, Hawai?i , M, Jr.
Jamie Houston$$, Hawai?i, LS, So.
Kanoe Kamana`o$+^, Hawai?i, S, Sr.
Sarah Mason$, Hawai?i, LS/RS, Sr.
Kim Oguh$, New Mexico State, OH, Jr.
Juliana Sanders$, Hawai?i, M, Jr.
Jessie Shull$$++^, San Jose State, L, Sr.
Amber Simpson, New Mexico State, MH, So.
Second Team
Saxony Brown, Idaho, S, Sr.
Colleen Burke, San Jose State, MB, So.
Niki Clement, San Jose State, OH, So.
Teal Ericson$$, Nevada, OH, Sr.,
^^Tristin Johnson, Nevada, S, Sr.
Haley Larsen$$, Idaho, OH, So.
Amanda Nielson, Utah State, OH/OPP, Jr.
Shannon Phillips, Louisiana Tech, OH, Jr.
Karly Sipherd $$^^, Nevada, MB, Jr.
Stacy Sode, Idaho, DS, Sr.
Jackie Stroud, Boise State, L, Sr.
Krystal Torres, New Mexico State, L/DS, So.
All-Freshman
Lacey Gera, Fresno State, OH
Jayme Lee, Hawai?i, L
Debbie Pederson, Idaho, MB
Melissa Larson, Utah State, MB
Jorgan Staker, Nevada, RS
Amber Kaufman, Hawai?i, RS
WAC Player of the Year: Kanoe Kamana`o, Hawai?i
WAC Coach of the Year: Mike Jordan, New Mexico State
WAC Freshman of the Year: Lacey Gera, Fresno State
*2002 First-team Selection
**2002 Second-team Selection
+2003 First-team Selection
++2003 First-team Selection
^2004 First-team Selection
^^2004 Second-team Selection
$2005 First-team Selection
$$2005 Second-team Selection