Cal Poly, Long Beach State and Hawai‘i earned a share of the women’s volleyball awards to commemorate week one of the 2015 season.
Taylor Named Tournament Most Outstanding Player
Hawai‘i junior Nikki Taylor (Honolulu, O’ahu, Hawai‘i/Kaiser HS), named Most Outstanding Player of the Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational, earned Big West Women’s Volleyball Player of the Week honors after posting three straight stellar performances.
Taylor led the Rainbow Wahine to a 3-0 record after notching a tourney-high 52 kills with a team-high 15 blocks and 27 digs. Taylor hit .330 (52-19-100) as UH recorded sweeps of Idaho and Oregon State while winning in four sets versus Wichita State.
The 6-4 outside hitter picked up 12 kills on .500 hitting to go along with eight digs and four blocks in the season-opening three-set win over the Vandals.
Taylor then slammed a career-high 25 kills and hit .300 against the Shockers, adding 11 digs for her first double-double of the season. Taylor also had five blocks in the match.
She concluded the tournament with 15 kills, eight digs and six blocks versus the Beavers. Taylor hit at a .281 (15-6-32) clip.
For the week, Taylor averaged 5.20 kills, 2.70 digs and 1.50 blocks per set.
Others nominated: Taylor Gruenewald (Cal Poly); Nele Barber (Long Beach State); Kaylin Squyres (UC Davis); Fabiana Rosas (UC Riverside); Elizabeth Sheffield (UC Santa Barbara)
Van Winden’s Collegiate Debut Successful
Cal Poly outside hitter Adlee Van Winden (Napa, Calif./Vintage HS) earned Big West Women’s Volleyball Freshman Player of the Week honors after posting back-to-back 14-kill efforts in a pair of wins.
Van Winden’s 28 total kills represented a team-best as the Mustangs took down both San Jose State and Sacramento State in four sets at the San Jose State Invitational.
The 6-1 Van Winden collected 11 digs against the Spartans for her first career double-double in her collegiate debut. She chipped in eight digs versus the Hornets in the tournament finale.
Cal Poly is off to its first 2-0 start since 2010.
Others nominated: Summer Kerins (Cal State Fullerton); Carly Beddingfield (Long Beach State); Harlee Kekauoha (UC Irvine); Chelsea Doyle (UC Riverside); Emilia Petrachi (UC Santa Barbara)
Wilson Excels at Libero for Long Beach State
Long Beach State freshman libero Mykah Wilson (Southlake, Texas/Southlake Carroll HS) turned three consecutive outstanding performances to net Big West Women’s Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week accolades.
Wilson helped the 49ers finish 2-1 in their own Baden Invitational after averaging 4.46 digs per set.
In her collegiate debut, Wilson scooped up 18 balls in LBSU’s 3-1 victory over Alabama. She then helped the 49ers dispatch No. 25 Duke with 19 digs.
Wilson improved even further with 21 digs in a four-set loss to Saint Mary’s. Wilson’s 58 total digs for the week places her second in the Big West.
Others nominated: Katherine Brouker (Cal Poly); Kyra Smith (Cal State Fullerton); Cieana Stinson (CSUN); Kelechi Ohiri (UC Davis); Maddie Hubbell (UC Riverside); Emilia Petrachi (UC Santa Barbara); Nikki Taylor (Hawai‘i)