Taylor POY, Shoji COY, Magill, Maglio Manu-Olevao 1st team
From the Big West
http://www.bigwest.org//story.asp?story_id=18758
Hawaii, the 2015 Big West Conference Champion, continued its dominance in the conference’s annual awards as it nabbed two of the
three top awards. Junior Nikki Taylor was named Big West Player of the Year and Big West Coach of the Year was awarded to Dave Shoji. Grabbing
the final award was Cal Poly’s Adlee Van Winden, who was named Big West Freshman of the Year.
Honorable Mention to Savanah Kahakai and Kalei Greeley.
Taylor paced the Big West in three categories – points, kills and service aces – while also ranking among the best in the nation. She averaged 5.46 points
per set during the season to grab the fifth spot in the country. The Honolulu, Hawai’i, native also sits 19th in kills per set (4.36) and 21st in service ace
average (.43). The 6-foot 4 opposite collected five Big West Player of the Week honors over the course of the season, the highest single-season total
since Cal Poly’s Kylie Atherstone garnered six in 2007. She also received AVCA/Sports Imports and ESPNW National Player of the Week awards the
week of September 14 following an impressive performance at the Outrigger Resort Volleyball Challenge that included a career-best 27-kill performance
against nationally-ranked Florida. With this year’s distinction, Taylor becomes the eighth Rainbow Wahine to capture Big West Player of the Year and
the third in four years as UH’s Emily Hartong earned the accolade in both 2012 and 2013. Taylor will lead Hawai’i in its 34th NCAA Tournament this
week as the Rainbow Wahine travel to College Station, Texas, to battle a trio of Lone Star State schools in first & second round action.
In her first year season representing the Mustangs, Van Winden has been nothing but explosive at the net. The outside hitter from Napa, Calif., owns a
team-best 3.91 kills per set average and 4.3 points per set mark to place fourth in the Big West in both categories. She closed out the year the same way
she opened it, with a double-double. In all, she tallied eight double-doubles on the season and on September 12 she was one dig away from recording
a 20-kill, 20-dig performance. Along with her player of the year honor, Van Winden captured seven Big West Freshman of the Week accolades. Van
Winden is Cal Poly’s first freshman of the year honoree since Kristina Graven received the award in 2010 and fourth overall.
Coach Shoji, capturing his fifth Big West Coach of the Year accolade, guided the Rainbow Wahine to their eighth Big West title with a perfect 16-0 conference
mark. Hawai’i became the 10th team to finish the conference season undefeated and the fourth Hawai’i team to master the feat. Along with an
unblemished conference mark, Hawai’i tallied an impressive 26-1 overall record, falling to UCLA, who finished the regular season ranked 13th in the
nation. The Rainbow Wahine, who earned the conference’s automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament, enter the postseason riding a 21-match win
streak, the longest since Hawai’i won 26-straight in 2011. While leading the conference in six statistical categories, Shoji has also guided the Rainbow
Wahine to the nation’s best block average of 3.29 and the fifth-best opponent hitting percentage of .142.
Seven teams were represented on the first team with Hawai’i and Cal Poly leading the way with four selections apiece. Long Beach State earned three
nods, UC Davis nabbed two and CSUN, UC Irvine and UC Riverside each picked up one selection.
Taylor received her third All-Big West First Team honor, while teammates Olivia Magill and Tai Manu-Olevao, along with UC Davis’ Kaylin Squyres,
CSUN’s Cieana Stinson and Long Beach State’s Jenelle Hudson, picked up their second.
Pot of Gold, from previous thread. This was in the Spam folder because you posted after the thread was closed.
I am excited to see the abilities of the Wahine versus TCU and Texas A&M. We really don’t get to a playoff type game during the season as the PAC12 and Big 10 seemingly experience on a game to game basis. However Hawaii is in a bracket that appears to allow the competition to get gradually better as they progress. There isn’t a Washington in the second round in front of them this year. Penn State would be a potential 3rd round opponent who aren’t playing at the level their ranking suggests.
All teams for the first three rounds will push Hawaii to bring their A game, should they advance. Playing unfamiliar teams allows good coaching staffs an advantage by using their own strengths to exploit opponents weaknesses, and Hawaii has one of the best staffs in the country to do this.
I hope the team realizes just how rare it is to be in the position they are in this season…underdogs with a team that can hang with the best if they play at the level they have worked through the year to reach. It is simply time to play to win, believe in your team and don’t worry about the opposition. Go Bows!
the poll today has us ranked #7 and PSU #8 not that it really matters
Where’s Higgins in the honors ?
Cindy…I share your optimism ands enthusiasm. If they play pedal to the metal, take no prisoners volleyball with a minimum of distractions (which being so far from home can only help with) the Wahine can and I’m sure will go long and far in the tournament this year.
Eye on the prize ladies! The National Title is there waiting for you to TAKE IT!
GO BOWS!
Thanks for adding Pot of Gold’s blog, it was a beauty! In my own awards show, I would award Savanah K. as most improved and Emily M. as the most likely to be an All-American someday. (Nikki and Olivia already are IMO)
1…very well said and again I got a great feeling.
IMO without a setter, we would not have a Championship team. To me they should’ve have listed 2 setters (Higgins/Koelsch) as Honorable Mention…They both started each round of 2 rounds of playing the conference going undefeated. Now, If I was Higs and Kendra I would come out and make a statement in College Station. They don’t have much expectations from that stand point!! Again so wrong!
Would agree…. KK/Higs is a great combo. Just need to know when/how to use them.
Outsides seem to like a little higher ball (IMHO) so I hope that’s in the mix so we can have a decent hitting percentage at College Station.
Server/Receive will be critical and Hawaii needs not let downsin that area.
Go Bows!
congrats to taylor, shoji … magill, olevao, maglio … kahakai and greeley!
Think Grereley was robbed of first team she has better stats than most ohs in conference
Keep at it Savannah because you’ve found the combination of hard work, vision, and focus to lead the team.
Congratulations to Jeff Hall for his work on the team’s blocking discipline and game-time adjustments.
Strongly agree with 9 & 10.
Cindy I was trying to click on the link “The Morning After” and it gives me “Sorry, page not found” error…..
10, was going to ask the blocking improvement question (over last year).
Thank you for that piece. Very insightful if true.
Well deserved honors for the Wahines and Coach Shoji! Can’t swell on who we don’t want to play. The road to the Championship runs through all these teams. We got to beat them at some point in time. No scade! Anytime, Any place we play em!
Congrats to the ladies for the many awards from the Big West coaches. All your hard work had paid off. The team now needs to focus on the upcoming match. While it appears that TCU was one of the last four teams picked for the tournament, their win over Texas shows that on any given day, they can beat anyone.
On the previous thread, Row13 reported that Jazzmin Babers, 6-2 MB is the daughter of Dino and former Wahine volleyball player Susan (Hemenway) Babers. I wonder if the NCAA knew of this connection when assigning Hawaii to the College Station subregional? Row13 also reported that Jazzmin is the best player on her team. She is a middle blocker and is their kill leader and is just behind 6-2 MB Shelby Sullivan in team blocks. This sets up Hawaii’s middles against TAMU’s middles. Should be one heck of a match. But I am getting ahead of the game.
Good luck to the team! Hard to know how we’ll match up with TCU or TAMU, since it’s been awhile since this team has been challenged. If we can pass and we stay healthy, we should have no problems moving on. Too bad Annie won’t be cleared in time to play. X factor will be the crowd. Large? Rowdy? Close to the players? Will we have a vocal group of UH supporters following the team?
Unusual not to see a UH setter on the all conference team. Happy to see Maglio got recognized. On some nights, she was the steadiest player on our team.
TCU’s Ashley Smith, OH is their offensive leader. She leads the team with 333 kills on the season and 2.92 kills per set. Our blocking, led by Magill/Maglio/Taylor should be able to handle her. LET’S GO BOWS.
Congrats to all of the wahines. Now its time to prove 26-1 meant something. You have a path to the final four that is winnable. You are playing to prove yourselves now. You get to play Penn ST. Coach Rose kept voting you #10 or worst now you have a chance to prove him wrong. I know you deserve better but you have win with the cards you are dealt. Everyone here are proud of you. Lets get into the final four and show the power conferences something.
To get to the final four wahine have to beat TCU and likely, TAMU, PSU and MINN.
Real Tall order! This subregional is tough. Hawaii needs all their bigs in the front row blocking including Kendra. Blocking is our game. That is not going to happen. Besides, our rotation to the back row is suspect with TMO. And Granato is not the answer to rotate to the front row. This path is all about Shoji’s choices. Best wishes to the wahine, all Hawaii cheers.
Like AlexM (17), I think the crowd could be a factor. Fort Worth is a 2 1/2-hour drive from College Station, so TCU fans may be a presence. As for TAMU, its corps of cadets is rowdy and relentless. One of my memories of the ’99 UH-A&M match here was a small group of A&M cadets, buzz-cut and in uniform, standing/clapping/cheering nonstop. I mean NONSTOP. A great variety of cheers and choreography. You had to hand it to them.
#20. Thank you for the best wishes to the team, but, hey, bruddah, take it easy with the criticism. We don’t need any bachi.
#21. ROTC types? Can’t any worse than playing in the many pseudo high school gyms in the Big West. These ladies are a composed and determined lot. And I’m sure if it gets out of hand the coaching staff will address it accordingly.
3. Higgins missed several conference matches. That and sharing time with Koelsch means neither had the numbers that Hudson and Nelson had. It also isn’t the All-Wahine Big West team. Don’t be greedy, they got 4 of 16 first team and 2 of 7 Honorable mention.
4. wasn’t my enthusiasm. That was a repost from Pot of Gold.
2. agree. Not that it matters. UW moved into No. 1. didn’t get a Top 4 seed but seeded 5 ad at home is what matters to them.
12. Morning after link should have been deleted. The post was about Waiting on BCW honors. no sense to keep it.
16. Doubt the NCAA every takes things like that into consideration. Hmm, sorry thought I also mentioned the mom/dad UH connection for Jazzmin. She had one national player of the week honor as well. Been trying to reach Mom Sue.
19. they don’t get to play Penn State yet. Much has to happen for that to occur. So what if Coach Rose voted Hawaii No. 10 or lower.
20. it is a tough subregion. But still don’t understand why you continue to be so negative.
It’s why they play the games. Few gave Hawaii a chance to get out of the Stanford regional in 09.
The path that Hawaii is on is courtesy of the NCAA.
#22. “we”, “bruddah”, “criticism” “batchi”? Long weekend I guess.
Git yer earplugs. All TAMU students get in free to NCAA subregional at Reed Arena, courtesy of their booster club.
http://12thman.com/news/2015/11/30/WVB_1130153201.aspx?path=wvball
p.s. Fun Fact: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi athletics teams are the Islanders.
Cindy, thanks for all your hard work with the side details for us despite your internet acting up!
I am wondering if players receive tickets for family/friends? Someone pointed out that Annie Mitchem’s hometown is a couple hours’ drive from College Station. As avid a Wahine-in-waiting as she’s been, wouldn’t it be great if her friends/family could help fill the stands on Friday?
I understand why Oceanic is probably chewing its beancounter pencils trying to figure out whether to send up a crew for Friday since as you say the SEC network may carry Saturday’s matches. Is there any indication of whether the host school has video capabilities, or are its regular-season matches filmed by the SEC network?
Do the traveling schools have any input on flight scheduling, or does some corporate-travel team at NCAA get to call all the shots on routes and times of travel?
Thanks.
Cindy. You are killing me. JMO. Why are you so threatened? We need the big block up front. We have Kendra. That is an honest assessment to further our chances. We shall see and naturally hope for the best.
23. The 12th man is legendary and they will be there in force Saturday should TAMU advance. Not giving the Islanders much of a chance tho’. Aggies 12-1 in Reed this season, lost to Arkansas on Sept. 27. Other SEC loss was at Florida 3-0.
They’ve won 14 straight.
They are definitely old school. Established as a military institution and was one all-male and has a Traditions Council to preserve all things Aggie.
My impression in 99 from some of the Corp was they looked like old-time service station attendants.
interesting reading at:
http://traditions.tamu.edu/traditions
27. you’re welcome. the internet problem at home has been quite irritating.all players get a ticket allotment. . Don’t know what the number is for this week.
NCAA used to handle the travel for a few years but now leave it up to the schools.
28. I’m not feeling threatened. Didn’t disagree with you about the block. Comment was about the negativity.
24. … Anyone surprised that Cal Poly had 4 players on the 1st team, like Hawaii.
#17 For me, I think the coaches got it right as both Hudson at Long Beach and Nelson at Cal Poly had an excellent year.
Not that it matters.
But it is somewhat confusing. Texas had the No. 1 RPI as of Sunday night. followed by Minnesota, SC and Nebraska. Yet SC, which just lost a match on Wednesday, still got the top seed.
If the criteria is supposed to included last 10 matches … just saying that the committee used the RPI when it suited them. Creighton was the No. 16 seed yet 15 in RPI. Arkansas State was RPI 16. And yet the subregional goes to North Carolina RPI 24.
Louisville RPI 19 also gets to host despite being swept by Syracuse (RPI 57) on Saturday.
Hawaii’s RPI stayed at 26.
28. Kimo, while we have disagreed in the past, I think I can shed light on the reactions you are getting. I think people are reacting to the statement, “Blocking is our game. That is not going to happen.” Seems to indicate that you believe our block will fail at some point in the next four matches, as a fait accompli. If not, can you clarify? Also, folks are probably tired of the TMO critique, which is valid but trite at this point. And people are probably on a mental high given that UH is not going to BYU, USC or UW, so any critique at this point, however valid (and you have a couple of valid points), will be met with resistance. Perhaps you can share your thoughts on what you think UH should do specifically in order to win the next four matches.
33. The seedings have rarely matched up exactly to the RPI rankings. There is a myriad of evaluative tools the committee uses, some of which are highly subjective (what is a significant win or loss? besides injuries, what other circumstances could be considered?):
-Regional advisory committee rankings
-Division I record
-Overall RPI
-Non-conference record
-Non-conference RPI
-Conference record
-Conference RPI
-Road record
-Record in last 10 games
-Record against teams ranked 1-50 by RPI
-Record against teams ranked 51-100 by RPI
-Record against teams ranked 101-200 by RPI
-Record against teams ranked below 200 by RPI
-Record against other teams under consideration
-Head-to-head
-Significant wins and losses
-Results against common opponents
-Results against teams already receiving at-large bids
-Site of match
-Other circumstances that could affect results (e.g. injuries)
RPI appears to be the most dominant factor in seeding, but it is not the only factor.
Regarding subregional hosting, seeding, not RPI, is the first determinant, and then if a seeded team doesn’t submit a qualifying bid, there is another process, per section 2.5 of the manual:
–For non-revenue generating championships that seed a quarter of the bracket, sites will be awarded to the seeded teams that submit a bid that meets the requirements for hosting. In the event that a seeded team doesn’t submit a bid that meets the requirements, the sport committee will maintain the current policy of geographic consideration when assigning the host sites;
–The committee will use the geographic consideration to help maintain the balance of integrity of the selection;
–The committee will also separate first- and second-round conference opponents when assigning teams to sites. [There’s more you can read at: http://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/2015DIWVB_Prechamps_Manual_20150929.pdf ]
I hope Dave shows the Wahine the tape from the ’99 Regional in Hawai’i. The A & M cheerleaders were IRRITATING!! I can only imagine how loud they are going to be at home with their fans behind them. The Wahine gonna have to tune the fans/band/cheerleaders out BIG TIME!
I didn’t watch the match, but I know that our team had problems, last year, playing well at one BW arena (CSUN?), because of the hostile crowd. And I think TAMU is much better than that CSUN team. You know that place will be packed, if both teams advance.
31. More like annoyed, Cal poly didn’t deserve the same number of first teamers as UH, they couldn’t even win a set off UH this season.
36.
I can’t speak for the team, and I’m not sure what type of venue Texas A&M has, but I’d assume they have an arena more like the SSC. The Big West teams have was more seems to be comparable to a high school gym. I’d think they’d have an easier time and feel more comfortable in a larger arena than a small gym.
37. why be annoyed? voting not based on how a team did against Hawaii. Cal Poly had a very good season. With whom would you have replaced a Mustang player?
#38 SEC TV had broadcast the match between Texas A&M vs. Florida – and you can get a good feel for the venue by watching the match online. The Aggie have a big arena and a big student section. So, if we get that far, it will be a loud hostile environment. Shoji is well aware of it and he could always ask Jen Carey as she was Dir. of Operation there under the Corbellis. For now, we should focus solely on the less glamorous but very dangerous TCU. One slip and the season is over – TCU did beat Texas – and can beat us if we are not totally focus on them.
40. I do not believe that the 3rd place team should get as many accolades as the first place team and more then second place team.
Griesen hit nearly .30 pts lower in conference only matches than Greeley did and she does not play backrow averages less than half a dig per set. Greeley should have made first team over her IMO.
42. Long Beach State probably could have received more but they changed their line-up multiple times due to injury which meant the players did not have consistent enough stats to be voted. They had to switch their OH2, MB2, OPP, L, DS many times. Cal Poly used the same line-up pretty much the entire season.
I am surprised Cal State Fullerton or UC Santa Barbara did not have any/more. I understand they did poorly this season but coaches are usually lenient with placing at least one player from the bottom schools on at least honorable mention/first team.
First time poster. I just noticed that there is an entry for 11:45-3 pm,12/4 on OCSPT channel 1089 for Women’s College Volleyball with an original air date of 20151204. This is on the HawTel Tv schedule. Could this be the TCU match? Hope so.
Cindy, I hope you don’t mind me posting the YouTube link of the huge TCU win over Texas at beginning of the year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adgVtJdnW6o
I realize TCU had a big sweep win at home against Texas, but let’s put the team’s season in perspective. They were swept by Texas in Austin, lost twice to Kansas and Iowa State, and lost to SMU, Kansas State and San Diego. All these are NCAA teams. One bad loss at Oklahoma. So this is a team that beat teams it was supposed to beat and loss to all top competition except once. UH should sweep if it plays as it has for most of the season.
Brief discussion of UH in the NCAA tourney on espnW:
http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/14254064/5-things-need-know-ncaa-women-volleyball-tournament
Congratulations and Adulations to Dave and the Wahine for their honors and success. I’m sure the girls will be able to move past the first 2 rounds as long as they do like Dave always says after a match, “Keep focused, pass good, serve tough and move their feet.” ;o)
GO BOWS!
After watching the TCU Texas match, understanding its just one match,
IMHO I see Kimo’s point i.e. about the need for a big block. TCU’s Ashley Smith and Sarita Mikals were having field ay going over Cloe Collins (setter) 5-7 on the left and Amy Neal OH 5-9 on the right. I thought the Horns would be much bigger in their starting front. Didn’t realize Collins/Neal were that short. Texas Freshman Bedart-Ghani is a monster on the right but rotates out… hits like Nikki when she’s in. TCU’s back court defense however was better than the Horns.
The match-ups seem bad and TCU made them look very ordinary. I agree its how
we play up front especially putting up the block , serve/receive/passing, and our backcourt defense consistency will determine our destiny. Hope we’re on our game and if not, pray we can adjust quickly…. IMUA!
#45 Yes, TCU barely made it into the tournament and what you say is so – but all they need is another “exception” to move on. They just demonstrated that they have the ability to beat a top tier team. Hope it is not us. Shoji is right to be concerned about not overlooking this team. We will need solid play and focus – as their fan base will be out in full force.
The thing that could hamper the Wahine is that they haven’t played any “tough” teams since early in the season. The level of competition picks up in the tourney. This happened sometimes in the past where they didn’t play up enough to the tournament competition level.
#50 Totally agree! In the past tournaments, they tend to become shell shock when other teams play “tougher” resulting in our players giving up easy points in bunches. Shoji appears to have already begun “toughing” up his team. Had previously posted that I attended five of the last six matches in So. CA. Watched Shoji just ride the players hard demanding perfection with everything – and after every play or so it seem. To me, it was over the top. It was not that the players were playing poorly but rather it appeared to me that he was insisting that it could of, or should of, be done better. It may be his version of tough love – better that he roughs you up now, than having the opponents do it to you in the match.
#48 Yeah, TCU was hitting over both of Texas short 5′ 7″ setter Cloe Collins and the 5′ 9″ left outside hitter Amy Neal. Interestingly, Texas has kept both of these “short” players playing the same starting positions throughout the season – and opponents are still hitting over them. Yet, Texas is at 25-2 with #11 seed. So clearly, being tall with a bigger block is something some coaches will give up in order to get a player who can do other things better. The same short 5′ 9″Amy Neal just got the Big 12 Player of the Year.
Grew up in Texas, don’t get me started on “Aggie Jokes”! The Aggies are legendary for their military-style esprit d’corps.
“…LOOK LIKE OLD-TIME STATION ATTENDANTS”? AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! THAT SHOULD BOOST THEIR COLLECTIVE EGOS!
IMO Texas will be taken out by UCLA this post season, UCLA OH Buechler likes playing against short setters, she always plays well agianst them.
Does anyone know when the Wahine leave for Texas?
My question is: Is Mitchem’s finger that bad? At this point in the season, TONS of players are bandaged up, looking like mummies. You even see some hands almost completely wrapped up and fingers looking 3 times the size in bandages.
This is the post season and this team has a chance. No way she can play? It must be more that a broken pinkie. Or maybe she might not be willing to take cortisone shots or something. That’s legal right? I know a lot of footballers take shots to help them get through big games. I can’t see the pinkie being so damaged that she could hurt it that much more by playing through it.
This is all JMHO. I have no idea what is really going on and how bad it is. All I’m saying is this is the playoffs. Everyone is banged up. Those who can play, will be playing. Annie could really help us win the whole thing this year.
Surprised that coach Dave was surprise by Maglio All Conference selection.
#59 Be too. Shoji needs to look at the stats. Maglio has been steadily improving and starting to show dominance. Emily is right there at the very top. Future at MH position is very bright. Maglio and Mitchem are going to be two studs next year, along with Burns. Natasha is very interesting because she is so long and athletic with quick feet. If she can put on several pounds of muscle, she may end up being unstoppable.
http://hawaiiwarriorworld.com/?p=34663
new thread up for Tuesday answers a few questions such as travel.
and Mitchem.
But to HCF. YES IT IS THAT BAD. this was not a normal fracture. Something you just don’t tape and suck it up. She had surgery and multiple pins in it. Pins removed but it will always be ugly.
She hasn’t practiced until this morning. while she has conditioned, not the same as practice reps. They’re not going to use her if she is a liability.
Besides it’s not her decision or the team’s. The doctor has to clear her.
as for Maglio, he said he was a little surprised probably because he didn’t think he’d get both middles. Also that since Maglio was subbed out for Mitchem, thought maybe she didn’t have enough games-played.