UTPA’S WATSON EARNS WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
Texas-Pan American sophomore rightside hitter Alisha Watson has been named Western Athletic Conference Volleyball Player of the Week for the week of Sept. 22-28. This is her first-ever WAC Player of the Week honor.
The Round Rock, Texas, native averaged 4.17 points, 3.11 kills, 3.00 digs and 0.89 service aces per set as the Broncs’ went 1-1 to open WAC play. Watson opened the week with 14 kills, eight digs and a career-high-tying five service aces, including three in a row, in a four-set loss to Bakersfield. She followed it up with her first double-double of the season and the fourth of her career with 14 kills, a career-high 19 digs and three aces in a five-set win over Grand Canyon. It was the Broncs’ first conference win since Nov. 7, 2013, and just their third-ever WAC victory.
Other nominees included: Danika Youngblood of Bakersfield averaged 4.00 kills and 2.56 digs per set as the Roadrunners went 1-1 on the week ... Grand Canyon’s Shannon Dugan averaged 2.88 kills and 2.50 digs per set over two matches last week ... Gwen Murphy of New Mexico State averaged 2.25 kills on .457 hitting to go along with 0.75 blocks and 0.50 digs per set as the Aggies went 2-0 on the week ... Iris Ivanis of Seattle U averaged 3.12 kills, 2.75 digs and 0.62 blocks per set in a pair of losses last week ... Utah Valley’s Macky Treanor averaged 2.20 kills on .360 hitting, 1.40 digs and 0.60 blocks per set in a win over Seattle U.
NM STATE EXTENDS WAC WIN STREAK TO 10 MATCHES
After winning its first two WAC matches of the season last weekend, New Mexico State has now won 10-straight WAC matches, dating back to last season. The last time the Aggies lost a WAC match was Oct. 19, 2013, when they were swept by Utah Valley in Orem, Utah.
MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY OFF TO BEST START IN SCHOOL HISTORY
Missouri-Kansas City, which had to reschedule its WAC opener last weekend due to airport closures in Chicago, currently has the best overall record in the WAC at 11-3, the best start in school history. The Kangaroos are also on a seven-match winning streak, the second-longest streak in school history, trailing the nine straight won by the 1992 team.
SAMADAN POSTS SEATTLE U’S FIFTH-BEST HITTING PERCENTAGE
In a five-set win over Montana on Sept. 18, junior middle blocker Martina Samadan hit .645 in the match. It was the fifth-highest individual single-match hitting percentage in program history.
UTPA’S KLIEFOTH, DURHAM AMONG PROGRAM’S BEST BLOCKERS
Texas-Pan American senior Maria Kliefoth and junior Haley Durham are among the best blockers in program history. Kliefoth ranks sixth in both block assists (194) and total blocks (229), and ninth in blocks per set (0.66). Durham is first in blocks per set (0.82), and seventh in both block assists (176) and total blocks (214).
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 that dated back to Oct. 13, 2007, when it defeated Air Force in five sets. Fifteen matches into the season, the Cougars have already tripled their win total from the 2013 season.
WAC STAT LEADERS
As a team, Missouri-Kansas City leads the WAC in hitting percentage (.208), assists (12.56), kills (13.51) and digs (18.23). Meanwhile, New Mexico State is tops in opponent hitting percentage (.135) and blocks (2.73), while Chicago State leads the league in service aces (1.74).
Individually, Grand Canyon’s Shannon Dugan leads the WAC in kills (3.61) and points (3.93), while Seattle U’s Martina Samadan leads the league in hitting percentage (.333) and blocks (1.23). Bakersfield’s Luiza Martins is tops in assists (11.05), while Utah Valley’s McKenna Tait leads the conference in service aces (0.52) and Missouri-Kansas City’s Taryn Miller is tops in digs (5.98).
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.