Every Hawai'i starter and reserve Stephanie Ferrell earned recognition when the all-Western Athletic Conference teams were announced last night at the WAC Tournament banquet.

Rainbow Wahine hitter Jamie Houston is WAC Player of the Year for the second straight season. Houston, a senior from Alabama, keeps Hawai'i's perfect record intact for the top honor. A Rainbow Wahine has won the award every year since UH joined the WAC in 1996.

Houston joins Olympians Heather Bown and Kim Willoughby, and former teammate Kanoe Kamana'o, as multiple winners.

"I thought there might be consideration for somebody else because her numbers were not as good as last year," UH coach Dave Shoji said, "but a lot of that is because our team is better and more balanced, and now we have the 25-point game. All the numbers are a little down.

"I thought at times she was more dominating this year. There were matches when she was just untouchable. She still had some poor games, but I think she was the most physical player in the conference by far."

Houston averaged around 5 1/2 kills a set the past two seasons and was ranked in the top six nationally. This season, she is averaging just under four, but has hit .438 or better in five of her last six WAC matches, helping UH into the top four nationally in team hitting (.303).

Three-time Hawai'i State High School Player of the Year Kanani Danielson is Hawai'i's sixth WAC Freshman of the Year, but first since Tara Hittle in 2004. Danielson is second to Houston in kills at 2.92, is hitting .304 and averaging more than three digs. She has a team-high seven double-doubles and is a primary passer with Hittle and Cubi-Otineru.

"I don't know if you can place a value on the things she did for us," Shoji said of Danielson. "Statistically, it's just not going to show up. Most people look at hitting numbers for that award, but certainly our team knows her value."

Houston, Danielson and juniors Aneli Cubi-Otineru and Amber Kaufman are on the WAC first team. Senior Nickie Thomas is on the second team, along with Hittle and setter Dani Mafua. Danielson and Ferrell are on the All-Freshman Team.

It is the third time Hittle has earned second-team honors — all at different positions. She played opposite as a freshman, then left side for two years, and is the UH libero this season.

There are no setters on the first team. It also includes four players from New Mexico State, which shared first with Hawai'i during the regular season. NMSU's Mike Jordan is Coach of the Year. Moanalua graduate Brianna Amian, a San Jose State sophomore, and Nevada sophomore Kylie Harrington, a St. Francis graduate, are both on the second team.