Hawai'i teams sweep top PacWest awards
Advertiser Staff
Led by Hawai'i Pacific University's Susy Garbelotti, Hawai'i's Division II colleges swept the top postseason volleyball awards in the Pacific West Conference announced yesterday.
Garbelotti, a 6-foot senior middle blocker from Foz Do Iguacu, Brazil, was the unanimous choice by coaches for Player of the Year.
Brigham Young-Hawai'i's 6-foot-1 middle blocker Chun Yi Lin was selected Freshman of the Year, and her coach Wilfred Navalta was named Coach of the Year.
Garbelotti led the PacWest in kills with 5.62 per game this season, and finished in the top 10 for hitting percentage (fourth, .282), blocks (second, 1.29 per game) and service aces (third, 0.43 per game). Garbelotti earned PacWest Player of the Week three times this season and recently won Verizon Academic All-America honors. She finished her two-season HPU career with 874 kills, 507 digs, 246 blocks and 74 services aces.
"When I get the award, one of the first people I will say 'thank you' to is (setter Vera Oliveira)," Garbelotti said. "It's because of her. She sets for me."
Added HPU coach Tita Ahuna: "It shows how well Susy is respected around the conference. She provided us maturity and leadership on a very young team."
Lin led the conference in hitting percentage (.462) and placed in the top 10 in kills (third, 4.68 per game) and service aces (fifth, 0.39 per game). Lin won Player of the Week honors four times.
Navalta guided the sixth-ranked Seasiders to the conference championship. BYU-Hawai'i (22-2 overall, 9-1 PacWest) earned the No. 2 seed in the three-day Pacific Region Tournament that started yesterday. Navalta's career record at BYU-Hawai'i improved to 432-77 entering this week's regional tournament.
Hawai'i's Division II colleges swept the six-player first team, and placed four of six on the second team. Kane'ohe's Kimberly Tano, who plays for Western New Mexico, was named to the second team.
Fourteen players, including eight from Hawai'i's Division II colleges, were named to the PacWest Academic All-Conference team. To be eligible for academic all-conference, a player must have at least a 3.30 cumulative GPA and be in at least her second year at her respective school.
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| Pacific West All-Conference Volleyball Team
First Team Name School Yr. Hometown % Susy Garbelotti HPU Sr. Foz Do Iguacu, Brazil Chun Yi Lin BYUH Fr. Pingtune, Taiwan Yu Chuan Weng BYUH Fr. Hsinchu, Taiwan * Valasi Sepulona CU So. Honolulu # Sara Pilgreen UHH Jr. Springfield, Ore. Vera Oliveira HPU So. Londrina, Brazil Second Team Name School Yr. Hometown # Kimberly Tano WNMU So. Kane'ohe Kaala Lo BYUH So. Mililani # Ashley Moeai BYUH Jr. Porterville, Calif. Katrina Dahlgren MSUB Jr. Missoula, Mont. # Audrey Brady CU Sr. El Segundo, Calif. # Teisa Fotu HPU Jr. La'ie * First Team selection in 2001 # Second Team selection in 2001 % First Team selection in 2000 PacWest Academic All-Conference: Audrey Brady, Chaminade University (Sr., 3.53, Historical/Political Studies and Psychology), Heidi Fabritz, University of Hawai'i at Hilo (Jr., 3.46, Psychology), Shaina Franzoy, Western New Mexico University (Jr., 3.88, Nursing), Tamara Goodliffe, Western New Mexico University (Jr., 3.57, Zoology), Ann Haggerty, University of Hawai'i at Hilo (Sr., 3.59, Psychology), Emily Hutchinson, University of Hawai'i at Hilo (Jr., 3.80, Education/Psychology), Tiffanie Ollison, University of Hawai'i at Hilo (Jr., 3.44, Business), Mandi Paulson, Montana State University-Billings (Sr., 3.58, Health and Physical Education), Joanna Petersen, Montana State University-Billings (Jr., 3.48, Art), Sara Pilgreen, University of Hawai'i at Hilo (Jr., 3.75, Education), Heather Preston, Western New Mexico University (Sr., 3.76, Business), Onika Van Zanten, Montana State University-Billings (Sr., 3.50, Health and Physical Education), Janeen Waialae, Chaminade University (So., 3.43, Biology), Katie Wilson, Hawai'i Pacific University (Jr., 3.54, Sports Recreation). |
