UH dynamic duo are All-Americans
By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer
NEW ORLEANS — Hawai'i outside hitters Kim Willoughby and Lily Kahumoku were named first-team All-Americans for the second time yesterday and were joined by third-team selection Lauren Duggins. All are Rainbow Wahine juniors.
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The 22nd annual AVCA All-America teams were announced by the American Volleyball Coaches Association at its annual convention. Awards will be presented tomorrow when Player of the Year is announced. Arizona's Kim Glass was named 2002 Freshman of the Year yesterday.
Hawai'i volleyball outside hitters Kim Willoughby and Lily Kahumoku were named All-Americans for the second time in their careers yesterday. Rainbow Wahine middle blocker Lauren Duggins was chosen to the third team.
Seven of the 12 first-team selections are in the final four, which begins today at the New Orleans Arena. Along with Willoughby and Kahumoku, who were also honored as sophomores, the team includes Stanford's Logan Tom and Sara McGee, Southern California's Emily Adams and April Ross, and Florida's Aury Cruz.
Tom, who started on the 2000 Olympic team, became the third player to earn four first-team honors.
Willoughby and Kahu-moku each put Hawai'i on her shoulders in the last two seasons (Kahumoku took 2001 off) and have given the Rainbow Wahine one of the most feared left-side attacks in history this year.
"I don't know if I've seen anybody strike more fear into the defense than Kim Willoughby," Stanford coach John Dunning said. "Maybe as much from the service line as when she is an attacker. And Lily is one of the few players that truly feels the game as an attacker. She must see the court very well."
Willoughby is second in the nation, with 6.28 kills per game this season; Kahumoku is 13th, at 5.32. Both average better than three digs a game, have combined for 35 double-doubles and are two of the team's primary passers.
UH coach Dave Shoji was asked about Willoughby's high-flying brilliance after Saturday's victory at Nebraska. His answer was that people overlook her all-around game — and Kahumoku's.
"We see it everyday in practice, she didn't do anything tonight she doesn't do every week," Shoji said. "Some All-Americans are net players or strong in another area. Kim is strong in every area. You just saw one of the best players you are ever going to see and I would say Lily is too. Lily made All-American two years ago and her stats are all elevated from 2000. She's had a tremendous year also."
Duggins never sees herself in the same volleyball airspace as Kahumoku and Willoughby, but this season she dramatically closed the gap. The 6-foot middle blocker leads the Rainbow Wahine in hitting percentage (.407) and blocking (1.37 per game).
Her ability to close the block has helped Hawai'i become one of the country's best defensive teams and her emergence as an offensive weapon has enhanced her teammates' effectiveness. She is also one of the 'Bows' best ballhandlers, a skill that has rarely shown this year with the emergence of the libero.
"I don't think any phase of her game was an All-America type coming in except she had great foot speed," Shoji said. "She's developed tremendously in the last year. At no time when we recruited her did we think she would be the go-to middle, which she's evolved into. ... But she's so humble she won't admit she's very good at all."
In the Western Athletic Conference Championship against Nevada, Duggins went 15-for-19 with seven stuffs. She earned all-Central Region honors last week, hitting .429 both nights. Duggins is hitting nearly .480 in the postseason.
• • •
2002 AVCA Division I All-America
First Team
Player School Pos. Yr.
Emily Adams USC MB So.
Danielle Bauer UC-Santa Barbara RS/Opp Sr.
Paige Benjamin Washington OH Sr.
Greichaly Cepero Nebraska S Sr.
Aury Cruz Florida OH Jr.
Stacey Gordon Ohio State OH So.
Amber Holmquist Nebraska MB Sr.
Lily Kahumoku Hawai‘i OH Jr.
Sara McGee Stanford MB Jr.
April Ross USC OH Jr.
Logan Tom Stanford OH Sr.
Kim Willoughby Hawai‘i OH Jr.
Second Team
Player School Pos. Yr.
Cassie Busse Minnesota Opp Jr.
Erin Byrd Wisconsin OH Sr.
Kim Glass Arizona OH Fr.
Brittany Hochevar Long Beach S Sr.
Jennifer Joines UOP MB Jr.
Nicole McCray Florida MB Sr.
Lynnette Moster Georgia Tech OH So.
Ogonna Nnamani Stanford OH So.
Laura Pilakowski Nebraska OH Sr.
Becky Potter Santa Clara MB Jr.
Cara Smith Penn State MB Jr.
Katie Wilkins Pepperdine OH Jr.
Third Team
Player School Pos. Yr.
Michelle Collier South Florida OH Sr.
Lauren Duggins Hawai'i MB Jr.
Paula Gentil Minnesota Lib Fr.
Laura Greene N. Carolina OH Sr.
Benavia Jenkins Florida MB Jr.
Mia Jerkov California OH So.
Christy Myers Missouri MB Sr.
Brooke Niles UCSB S Sr.
Molly O'Brien No. Iowa MB Jr.
Morgan Shields Wisconsin S Jr.
Elisha Thomas Long Beach MB Sr.
Mira Topic Texas OH So.
Selections made by AVCA Division I All-America Committee: Chair i Jeff Nelson, Texas Tech; Judy Green, Alabama; Jill Hirschinger, New Hampshire; Janice Kruger, Maryland; Kathy Litzau, Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Jim McLaughlin, Washington; Steve Schlick, Cal Poly; and Pete Waite, Wisconsin.
