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Hawai‘i Hilo's Seben named PacWest Player of Year; GCU's Preach, Dixie State's Jeffress, UHH's Swenson earn top honors

PHOENIX, AZ - Two years ago Hawai‘i Hilo captured the Pacific West Conference Championship, Dr. Bruce Atkinson was named the PacWest Coach of the Year, and a sophomore named Fabiane Seben (Caxias do Sul, Brazil) was dubbed the best player in the league.

But with no automatic qualifier for PacWest teams, the Vulcans were left to savor awards instead of post-season play.

Fast-forward to 2009 and the Vulcans have again claimed the PacWest Championship, Atkinson earned his second Coach of the Year honor, and Seben - now a senior - has been voted the PacWest Player of the Year again.

This time the Vulcans are going to the NCAA Division II volleyball dance armed with four All-PacWest selections and two players of the year.

The PacWest conference media office in Phoenix, AZ, announced the All-PacWest Volleyball Team and top individual awards on Thursday, Nov. 19. The nine head coaches of the league selected the squad which features 21 players evenly distributed over three teams - First, Second and Honorable Mention.

2009 All-PacWest Volleyball Team (PDF)

Seben earned the Player of the Year award and her third straight All-PacWest First Team selection after leading the conference in hitting with a .364 average. She has 289 kills in 563 attempts with just 84 errors, outdistancing the second-best swatter in the conference by .060 percentage points.

Seben is averaging 3.21 kills per game to stand fifth in the league, while her 4.21 points per contest rank her second in the conference in scoring. She also is stellar at serving after drilling 38 aces for a 0.42 per game average - second in the PacWest.

In addition to her 289 kills and 38 service aces, Seben has contributed 74 block assists and 15 block solos that leading to 379 total points.

Seben's teammate - junior setter Katie Swenson (Omaha, NE/Gross Catholic) - made her mark in the PacWest this season by claiming the Newcomer of the Year award. The first-year Vulcan leads the PacWest in assist average with a 12.13 per game mark after totaling 1104 in 91 sets. In addition to her award, Swenson (right) was named All-PacWest Second Team along with junior teammate Kawena Cubi-Otineru (Haleiwa, HI/St. Francis).

Cubi-Otineru is ranked third in the PacWest in hitting with a .302 average - one of just three conference players over .300 this season. She posted 198 kills in 398 attempts with 78 errors.

Senior outside hitter Josimara Pinheiro (Jundiai, Brazili/Guimaraes) rounded out the All-PacWest selections for the Vulcans after she garnered her second straight All-PacWest First Team selection and her third straight post-season honor after taking Second Team accolades in 2007.

Pinheiro (left) is presently ranked third in the conference in scoring average with a 4.01 points-per-game rate. She has totaled 356.5 points thus far in 2009 on 312 kills, 13 aces, eight block solos and 47 block assists. She ranks third in kills per game (3.51).

Atkinson claimed his second PacWest Coach of the Year honor in three seasons after guiding the Vulcans to a 25-1 regular-season mark and a 15-1 record in the Pacific West Conference - good enough for his second conference title.

Dixie State finished second in the PacWest with a 12-4 league mark and an 18-7 overall record, landing four players on the all-conference team.

Sophomore Jayci Jeffress (Brighton, CO/Brighton) was chosen All-PacWest First Team and the 2009 Libero of the Year after averaging 5.46 digs per game. Her defense was stellar as she totaled 524 digs in 96 games, ranking second in dig average and third in total digs.

Jeffress (right) is joined on the All-PacWest First Team by senior outside hitter Katie Luna (Mesa, AZ/Westwood), an All-PacWest Second Team selection and Newcomer of the Year in 2008.

Luna (left) is ranked fifth in the PacWest in scoring with a 3.77 points-per-game average. She amassed 362 points on 326 kills, 22 aces, two block solos and 24 block assists. She stands fourth in kills per game (3.40), while on defense she averaged 3.21 digs per contest - good enough for ninth in the league.

The Red Storm also earned a Second Team selection and an Honorable Mention in 2009.

Sophomore middle hitter Morgan Hill (Logan, UT/Logan) was named Second Team All-PacWest thanks to her offense and defense. She ranks second in the PacWest in blocks per game (1.09) and finished her season with 88 blocks on 25 solos and 63 assists. She also is ninth in hitting with a .266 average.

Senior setter Chelsi DeWitt (Mesa, AZ/Westwood) claimed the Honorable Mention for the Red Storm after a strong season helping out her offense. She ranks second in the league in assists per game (10.40) and totaled 998 (fourth-highest) assists in 2009.

Hawai‘i Pacific also claimed four All-PacWest volleyball players, including three-time First Team selection Kelly Balanay (San Diego, CA/Valhalla). The junior middle hitter is ranked second in kill percentage with a .306 average. She registered 289 kills on 641 attempts with 93 errors and ranks eight in kills per game in the conference.

Balanay (right) totaled 359 points in 2009, averaging 3.66 to stand sixth in the league. She added 70 block assists, 21 block solos and 14 aces to her 289 kills for the impressive 359 total.

Junior outside hitter Mariana Souza (Riberirao Preto, Brazil) earned Second Team accolades for HPU, while senior outside hitter Julia Gruszecka (Lodz, Poland) and sophomore libero Kyra Pelayo (San Jose, CA/Saint Francis) claimed Honorable Mention.

Souza totaled 222.5 points for a 2.78 points-per-game average. She posted 204 kills and 107 digs in 2009. Pelayo (left) stands fifth in the conference in digs per game with a 3.56 average and totaled 352 digs on defense this year. Gruszecka accumulated 284.5 points mostly on 237 kills, while on defense she had 156 digs.

Grand Canyon did not have a First Team selection, but the Antelopes did earn two Second Team spots and the 2009 Freshman of the Year award in rookie Kristen Preach (Phoenix, AZ/Xavier - right). The first-year member of the GCU squad is fifth in the league in hitting with a .286 average, while she is third in total assists (1006) and fourth in assist average (9.58).

The Second Team representatives on the All-PacWest squad for Grand Canyon include senior outside hitter Whitney Estes (Gardnerville, NV/Douglas) and sophomore libero Laurann Durbin (Phoenix, AZ/Sunnyslope).

Estes (left) returns to the squad after being named an Honorable Mention in 2007. She posted 248.5 points and a 2.56 per-game-average in 2009. She totaled 209 kills on the year.

Durbin was outstanding on defense during the campaign. She leads the PacWest in assists (5.84) and assists per game (5.62).

BYU-Hawaii sophomore outside hitter Losaline Faka‘osi (Salt Lake City, UT/Highland) made the All-PacWest First Team and was one of two Seasiders chosen for the all-star squad.

Faka‘osi (right), the 2008 Freshman of the Year who is outstanding on offense and defense, ranks fourth in digs per game (4.25) and sixth in kills per contest (3.07) in the PacWest. She has totaled 273.5 points, 353 digs, 255 kills, six aces and 25 block assists this year and ranks eighth in the league in points per game with a 3.30 average.

Junior middle blocker Tanza Buroker (Riverton, UT/Riverton) is presently ranked seventh in the PacWest in hitting with a .279 average. She has 173 kills on 434 attempts with only 52 mistakes. She was named All-PacWest Second Team.

First-year PacWest programs Academy of Art and Dominican (CA) each claimed their inaugural All-Conference selections.

AAU saw junior outside hitter Dan Yang (Beijing, China/Beijing 5^th Sports School - right) earn First Team accolades following a terrific season that has her leading the conference in scoring with a 4.80 points-per-game average. She totaled 571.5 points - a league high - on 518 kills (also tops in the PacWest), 19 aces, 13 block solos and 43 block assists. Yang is ranked first in kills per game (4.35) and eighth in hitting with a .271 average.

Dominican (CA) senior outside hitter Gabby Pecora (Sonoma, CA/Justin-Siena) claimed Honorable Mention thanks to a solid season. She is ranked fourth in scoring (4.00 ppg.) and second in total points (447.5) after amassing her total on 401 kills, 28 aces, nine block solos and 19 block assists.

Pecora (left) ranks second in kills per game (3.58) and in total kills (401), 10^th in digs per game (3.14), and has accumulated 352 total digs on defense.

Chaminade claimed an Honorable Mention thanks to senior outside hitter Courtney Lorusso (Los Angeles, CA/Glendora). In 26 starts this year, Lorusso (right) posted 286 kills and 152 digs for the Silverswords and ranks ninth in the league in kills per game (2.75).

Notre Dame de Namur earned two Honorable Mention selections in senior middle blocker Caitlin Torres (San Jose, CA/Leigh) and sophomore outside hitter Christina Villamayor (Poway, CA/Poway).

Torres (left) ranks ninth in the PacWest in scoring with a 3.28 points-per-game mark. She totaled 407 points on 329 kills, 23 aces, 29 block solos and 52 block assists.

Villamoyer, who was an Honorable Mention in 2008, stands seventh in the league in scoring with a 3.36 average. She has totaled 342.5 points on 313 kills, 21 aces, three block solos and 11 block assists. With a 3.07 per game rate, Villamoyer ranks seventh in kill average.