Spokane, WA – Alaska Nanook’s senior outside hitter
Megan Thigpen (Spokane, WA) has been selected to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference First Team. Senior setter
Alexa Sherman (Calabasas, CA) also garnered conference recognition, receiving honorable mention on the GNAC’s all-conference squad.
Thigpen led the team in kills (371), kills per set (3.86), and points per set (4.40). Thigpen’s 371 kills ranked her fourth in the GNAC, while also placing third in points. She also ranked second on the team in digs (265), digs per set (2.76), and service aces per set (.35). Thigpen finished her career with 1,213 kills, 1,214 digs, and 141 service aces. She ranks second in Alaska history, and ninth in GNAC history, with her 1213 kills, while also ranking fourth in Alaska history in both digs and service aces.
Sherman led the Nanooks in assists for the fourth time in her career and finished fifth in the GNAC with 965 assists, and 9.65 assists per set. She also finished the season fourth on the team in digs (2.29) and blocks (33). Sherman finished her career with 3,560 assists, 273 kills, and 855 digs. Her 3,560 assists ranks second in Alaska history and sixth in GNAC history, while her 855 digs ranks ninth in the Alaska record books.
The award marks the fourth time Thigpen was named an all-conference player. In 2006 she was named GNAC Freshman of the year as well as being named to the first team, while gaining honorable mention honors in 2007 and 2008. Thigpen also was named GNAC Player of the Week this season for the week ending August 13.
Sherman was named to the all-conference team for the second time in her career. In 2008 she was an honorable mention selection and was also a two time GNAC Player of the Week in 2008 and 2009.
Alaska Anchorage setter Calli Scott was selected the 2009 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Volleyball Player-of-the-Year.
Scott, who leads the GNAC in assists averaging 10.79 per set, helped lead the Seawolves to a 22-7 record and their first-ever Great Northwest Athletic Conference volleyball title this fall.
UAA second-year coach Chris Green was selected the GNAC Coach-of-the-Year. The 1991 graduate of the University of Nebraska has a 37-21 record in two seasons after taking over a program that had posted just 17 wins combined in the three previous seasons.
Also winning special awards were Seattle Pacific middle blocker Amber Johnson and Western Washington outside hitter Marlayna Geary.
Johnson was nearly a unanimous choice for GNAC Newcomer-of-the-Year. She finished the regular-season ranked second in hitting percentage (.347) and fifth in blocks (0.98 per set). Geary, who finished the season ranked third in the conference in kills (3.87), was voted the GNAC Freshman-of-the-Year.
2009 GNAC ALL-CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL TEAM
Player-of-the-Year – Calli Scott, Alaska Anchorage. Newcomer-of-the-Year – Amber Johnson, Seattle Pacific. Freshman-of-the-Year – Marlayna Geary, Western Washington. Coach-of-the-Year – Chris Green, Alaska Anchorage.
First Team - *Calli Scott, UAA (S, 5-7, Sr., Scottsdale, AZ); *+Devon Crotteau, MSUB (OH, 6-0, Sr., Casper, WY); *Sarah Risser, SPU (OH, 5-9, Jr., Santa Barbara, CA); Jackie Matthisen, UAA (OH, 5-10, So., Anchorage, AK); Megan Thigpen, UAF (MB, 5-10, Sr., Spokane, WA); Marlayna Geary, WWU (OH, 5-10, Fr., Tacoma, WA); +Brandie Vea, CWU (L, 5-3, Jr., Honolulu, HI).
Second Team – Carlee Marble, CWU (S, 5-8, So., LaConner, WA); Amber Johnson, SPU (MB, 6-2, So., Mt. Vernon, WA); Emily Jepsen, WWU (MB, 5-11, So., Kennewick, WA); Cortney Lundberg, UAA (MB, 6-0, Jr., Hardin, MT); Cammy Dranginis, NNU (MB, 6-0, Sr., Nampa, ID); Lisa Martini, WOU (MB, 6-0, Sr., Philomath, OR); Anna Herold, SPU (L, 5-8, So., Bothell, WA).
Honorable Mention - Alexa Sherman, UAF (S, 5-9, Sr., Calabasas, CA); Hillary Morrison, MSUB (S, 5-10, Sr., Casper, WY); Laurie Yearout, WWU (S, 5-9, Fr., Spokane, WA); Jen Boe, MSUB (OH, 5-8, Jr., Casper, WY); Erin Norris, CWU (OH, 5-10, Sr., Spokane, WA); Megan Amundson, WWU (OH, 5-11, Jr., Stanwood, WA); Kady Try, CWU (OH, 6-0, Jr., Brentwood, CA); Lindsay Forseth, NNU (OH, 6-0, Sr., Nampa, ID); Jessica Bettencourt, SPU (Opp, 5-11, Sr., South Lake Tahoe, CA); Laura Sakala, WOU (MB, 6-0, Sr., Beaverton, OR); Teilissa Tua, SMU (MB, 5-11, Fr., Kahului, HI); Jody Lutz, MSUB (MB, 6-1, Fr., Dugald, Manitoba); Allie Gotz, WWU (L, 5-3, Jr., Bothell, WA);Stacie Meisner, UAA (L, 5-8, Sr., Gering, NE); Haley Hevern, NNU (L, 5-3, Jr., Central Point, OR).
*Unanimous + - Repeater