UMKC'S MILLER EARNS WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
Missouri-Kansas City junior libero Taryn Miller has been named Western Athletic Conference Volleyball Player of the Week for the week of Sept. 8-14. This is her first-ever WAC Player of the Week honor.
The Blue Springs, Mo., native averaged 7.41 digs, 0.82 assists and 0.35 service aces per set over four matches last week. Miller opened the week with 22 digs and two assists in a four-set loss to No. 24 Kansas. Over the weekend, she was named MVP of the CEFCU Classic after averaging an astounding 8.00 digs, 0.92 assists and 0.46 service aces per set and leading the ‘Roos to the tournament title with a perfect 3-0 record. Miller finished with 30 digs in three straight matches for the first time in her career, posting 35 against North Dakota State, 31 at Bradley and a career-high 38 vs. Miami (Ohio). The 38 digs was a Renaissance Coliseum record. Miller now sits in third place on the UMKC career digs list with 1,326, 10 digs shy of second place.
Other nominees included: Essence Jackson-Jones of Chicago State averaged 2.46 kills on .345 hitting to go along with 1.38 blocks as the Cougars went 4-0 on the week ... Grand Canyon's Mackenzie Phelps led the Antelopes to a 2-1 record at the Lumberjack Classic and was named to the all-tournament team after averaging 4.83 digs per set over three matches ... Hannah Walker of New Mexico State averaged 6.83 digs per set as the Aggies went 0-2 against two ranked opponents last week ... Seattle U's Matea Mamic earned a spot on the all-tournament team at the Washington/Seattle U Tournament after averaging 3.11 kills on .268 hitting and 0.44 digs per set over three matches ... Haley Durham of Texas-Pan American earned all-tournament honors at the Louisiana Tech Invitational after averaging 3.92 kills on .378 hitting to go along with 0.67 blocks per set ... Utah Valley's McKenna Tait earned all-tournament team honors at the Mean Green Classic after averaging 4.00 digs, 0.93 service aces and 0.57 assists per set.
TEN WAC PLAYERS NAMED TO ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAMS LAST WEEKEND
The WAC had 10 of its players named to all-tournament teams in the third weekend of play. Missouri-Kansas City led the way with three players earning honors, as Taryn Miller was named MVP and Sydney Crimmins and Kaylyn Brandt were named to the all-tournament team at the CEFCU Classic. Grand Canyon's Natalie Tardy and Mackenzie Phelps were named to the all-tournament team at the Lumberjack Classic, while Utah Valley's McKenna Tait and Macky Treanor earned all-tournament honors at the Mean Green Classic. Mariah Alvidrez of Bakersfield was named to the all-tournament team at the Cal Poly Tournament, while Matea Mamic of Seattle U earned all-tournament honors at the Seattle U/Washington Tournament. Meanwhile, Haley Durham of Texas-Pan American earned all-tournament honors at the Louisiana Tech Invitational.
CHICAGO STATE SNAPS 64-MATCH HOME LOSING SKID
When it defeated IU Northwest on Sept. 12, Chicago State snapped a 64-match home losing skid. The Cougars' last home win was Oct. 13, 2007, when it defeated Air Force in five sets. Chicago State went on to win its next three matches at the Cougar Invitational to improve to 4-3 at home this season.
MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY LEADS NATION IN DIGS PER SET
Three weeks into the 2014 season, Missouri-Kansas City leads the nation in digs per set with a 18.68 average. Individually, the ‘Roos' Taryn Miller ranks third nationally in digs per set with a 6.07 average.
WAC STAT LEADERS
As a team, Missouri-Kansas City leads the WAC in hitting percentage (.202), assists (12.66), kills (13.66) and digs (18.68). Meanwhile, New Mexico State is tops in opponent hitting percentage (.151) and blocks (2.79), while Chicago State leads the league in service aces (1.84).
Grand Canyon's Natalie Tardy leads the WAC in kills (3.94) and points (4.47), while Chicago State's Elli Woinowsky is tops in service aces (0.61) and Seattle U's Martina Samadan leads the league in blocks (1.46). Bakersfield's Molly O'Hagan is tops in hitting percentage (.339), while teammate Luiza Martins leads the WAC in assists (10.76) and UMKC's Taryn Miller is tops in digs (6.07).
NEW MEXICO STATE FAVORED IN WAC PRESEASON POLL
The WAC coaches selected New Mexico State as the team to beat in 2014. The Aggies received six first-place votes, while Seattle U received the other two. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.
The Aggies earned 48 total points, followed by Seattle U with 43. Utah Valley was picked to finish third with 35 points, followed by Missouri-Kansas City in fourth with 27 points, just ahead of Bakersfield in fifth with 26 and Grand Canyon in sixth with 22 points. Texas-Pan American and Chicago State rounded out the poll with 16 and seven points, respectively.
PRESEASON ALL-WAC
Utah Valley junior middle blocker Lauren Bakker, who last year ranked second in the league in blocks per set (1.31) and ninth in hitting percentage (.272), was selected as the WAC Preseason Player of the Year.
New Mexico State and Utah Valley placed the most players on the preseason All-WAC team with three apiece, while Seattle U, UMKC and Grand Canyon had two each. Joining Bakker on the preseason team are teammates Kalani Norris and McKenna Tait, New Mexico State's Taylor Livoti, Gwen Murphy and Bradley Nash, Seattle U's Iris Ivanis and Martina Samadan, UMKC's Sydney Crimmins and Emma Hagedorn, Grand Canyon's Shannon Dugan and Mackenzie Phelps, Bakersfield's Molly O'Hagan, and Haley Durham of UTPA.
2014 WAC TOURNAMENT
The 2014 WAC Volleyball Tournament will be held Nov. 20-22 at the Icardo Center in Bakersfield, Calif., and will include the top six eligible teams in the regular-season standings.
WAC TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Thursday, Nov. 20 (First Round)
Match 1 - No. 6 seed vs. No. 3 seed, 5 p.m.
Match 2 - No. 5 seed vs. No. 4 seed, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 21 (Semifinals)
Match 3 - Winner Match 1 vs. No. 2 seed, 5 p.m.
Match 4 - Winner Match 2 vs. No. 1 seed, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 22 (Championship)
Match 5 - Winner Match 3 vs. Winner Match 4, 5 p.m.
RETURNING ALL-CONFERENCE PLAYERS
Of the seven first team All-WAC players in 2013, three return for the 2014 season, led by Preseason Player of the Year Lauren Bakker of Utah Valley. Also returning from the first team are Gwen Murphy of New Mexico State and McKenna Tait of Utah Valley.
Five of the seven second team honorees return, including Sydney Crimmins and Taryn Miller of UMKC, Iris Ivanis and Martina Samadan of Seattle U, and Bakersfield's Molly O'Hagan.
Of the six All-Freshman Team honorees a year ago, five return - Ivanis and Kerry Lane of Seattle U, Kaylyn Brandt of UMKC, Alisha Watson of UTPA and Nakisha Willden of Utah Valley.