Here's one of those good problems: Looks like UAA needs to invest in additional trophy cases.
More space to display awards became necessary Wednesday when Seawolves volleyball players Katelynn Zanders, Morgan Hooe and Julia Mackey, and coach Chris Green, bagged yet more awards.
Zanders and Hooe were both voted All-West Region on two fronts – by the American Volleyball Coaches Association and Division II sports information directors -- Mackey was voted All-West Region on by coaches and Green's peers voted him West Region Coach of the Year.
Those accolades came two days before the Seawolves (26-2), the Great Northwest Athletic Conference champions and ranked No. 9 nationally, play host as the top seed to the NCAA Division II West Regional Championships at the Alaska Airlines Center.
UAA opens the eight-team, single-elimination tournament at 7:30 p.m. Friday, when it plays Dixie State (19-10).
Zanders, the senior outside hitter from Anchorage who recently was voted the GNAC Player of the Year, was named All-West Region by the coaches association for the third straight year, and was also selected by sports information directors. Zanders ranks second in the GNAC in both kills per set (3.75) and points per set (4.33).
Hooe, the junior setter who was Zanders' teammate at Anchorage's South High, where they also starred in soccer, likewise was honored by coaches and sports information directors. She orchestrates the Seawolves offense and leads the GNAC in assists per set (10.67).
Mackey, a senior right-side hitter from Fairbanks who was All-GNAC for four seasons, was voted All-West Region by the coaches association. She was the only player in the GNAC to finish in the top 10 in hitting percentage (.311, fifth) and kills per set (3.06, eighth), and also delivered .85 blocks per set.
Zanders, Hooe and Mackey all were first-team All-GNAC picks.
The coaches All-West Region team consisted of 14 players, and senior Caylie Seitz of Sonoma State, which is in the West Regional field, was voted Player of the Year. UAA and Cal State San Bernardino, which is in the regional field, each landed three players on that squad. UAF senior hitter Samantha Harthun earned honorable mention.
The team voted by sports information directors consisted of seven players, with UAA and Sonoma State landing two players each on the team.
Green was voted region Coach of the Year for the second time by his peers – he also received the honor in 2009 – and has guided the Seawolves to the NCAA tournament for three straight years and six times in the last seven seasons. In eight seasons, his UAA teams have gone 158-68 (.699 winning percentage).
The regional honors for Zanders, Hooe and Mackey make them eligible for All-American awards, and Green is eligible in national coach of the year balloting.
Reach Doyle Woody at dwoody@alaskadispatch.com, check out his blog at adn.com/hockeyblog and follow him on Twitter at @JaromirBlagr
NCAA Division West Regional Championships
Friday's matches at Alaska Airlines Center
(Seeding in parentheses)
Noon – (6) UC San Diego (19-11) vs. (3) Sonoma State (26-3)
2:30 p.m. – (7) Point Loma (20-9) vs. (2) Western Washington (23-5)
5 p.m. – (5) Central Washington (20-7) vs. (4) Cal State San Bernardino (26-5)
7:30 p.m. – (8) Dixie State (19-10) vs. (1) UAA (26-2)