Four players representing three member-institutions were selected to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Region listings, headlined by a trio of senior first-team honorees in Amber Igiede of Hawai’i and the UC Santa Barbara pairing of Michelle Ohwobete and Macall Peed.
Amber Igiede is a back-to-back AVCA All-Pacific Region first team selection, and making a fourth overall appearance on the listings after earning honorable mention status in 2019 and ’21.
The Rainbow Wahine middle blocker capped a four-year collegiate career with UH in impressive fashion, leading The Big West in multiple statistical categories including kills (3.72 k/s), points (4.62 p/s) and hitting percentage (.396) while also adding 1.09 blocks per set, good for fourth in the league in 2023.
Since 2019, the product of Baton Rouge, La., has compiled 1,371 kills on .397 career hitting and 528 blocks, including 110 of the solo variety. In 2022, Igiede was named Big West Player of the Year after an impressive junior season. Igiede and the ‘Bows went to NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship all four years, advancing in the bracket on three occasions (’19, ’21, ’23) and earning a place in the regional semifinals as a freshman.
Reigning 2023 Big West Player of the Year Michelle Ohwobete is making a first appearance on the All-Pacific South Region listings after leading UC Santa Barbara back to the national stage for the first time since 2019. Ohwobete compiled averages of 3.59 kills and 4.22 points per set while serving up 38 total aces, all good for Top 10 placement in The Big West this season.
With Ohwobete swinging away, the Gauchos enjoyed a 27-5 season, earning The Big West regular-season title and notching the program’s first 27-win since 2002. In three years on the court for UCSB, the Oakland, Calif., native has totaled 1,159 kills, 746 digs, 199 total blocks and 95 service aces.
UC Santa Barbara senior libero Macall Peed has shined for the Gauchos defense to pick up All-Pacific South Region first team honors, up from honorable mention status a season ago. The back-to-back Big West Libero of the Year averaged a conference-best 4.41 digs per set this season, scooping up 534 balls over 121 frames.
Competing for Penn State for the first two collegiate seasons, Peed enjoyed a third career trip back to the NCAA Championship in 2023 after helping the Gauchos to an at-large bid. Over a five-year career, the San Diego, Calif., native compiled 1,550 total digs and 93 aces, competing in 168 matches.
The Big West placed at least three players on the AVCA All-Region first team for the fourth time in the last five years.
Rounding out the selections is Long Beach State setter Zayna Meyer. The product of Wheaton, Ill., earned All-South Pacific Region honorable mention status during an impressive redshirt-sophomore campaign for the Beach. The Big West Setter of the Year averaged 9.99 assists per set for The Big West Championship runners-up. Along with leading the team in assists, Meyer finished the season in LBSU’s top three in multiple categories including digs (281 – 2nd), service aces (35 – 3rd) and blocks (58.0 - 3rd). After spending a redshirt season at BYU in 2021, Meyer is making a first-career appearance on the AVCA postseason awards listings.
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AVCA All-Region
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Player (region)
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Institution
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Pos.
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Class
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Hometown
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Amber Igiede (Pacific North)
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Hawai’i
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MB
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Sr.
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Baton Rouge, La.
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Michelle Ohwobete (Pacific South)
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UC Santa Barbara
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OH
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Sr.
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Oakland, Calif.
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Macall Peed (Pacific South)
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UC Santa Barbara
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L
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Sr.
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San Diego, Calif.
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Honorable Mention
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Zayna Meyer (Pacific South)
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Long Beach State
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S
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So.
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Wheaton, Ill.
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