Women spikers rake in WCC postseason awards

 PROVO, Utah – The BYU women’s volleyball team captured three individual 2014 All-West Coast Conference honors, the league announced Tuesday.

Junior outside hitter Alexa Gray led the way receiving Player of the Year honors, sophomore middle blocker Whitney Young was named Defensive Player of the Year and Shawn Olmstead received Co-Coach of the Year accolades.

Additionally, Gray, Young and Jennifer Hamson were added to the All-WCC first team with Amy Boswell making Honorable Mention All-WCC.

Gray paced the team in kills during conference play, averaging 4.11 kills per set. She was second in the conference in kill average and third in hitting percentage.

Young led the WCC in blocks for the second-straight season, with an average of 2.09 per set in conference matches. Her blocking helped BYU place second in conference play in opponent hitting percentage.

In his fourth year at the helm, Olmstead coached the Cougars to a 25-4, 16-2 WCC record - winning the conference title outright by a three-match margin.

Hamson was fifth in hitting percentage (.331 percent) and seventh in kills per set at 3.53 in conference matches to help BYU.

Boswell recorded 1.67 blocks per set (second best in conference play) and hit a .315 clip for sixth best in the league. She was second in the nation in blocks per set for most of conference play, only behind teammate Young.

This is Gray’s third consecutive year on the All-WCC first team. She was also named the 2012 WCC Freshman of the Year. Young was previously named the 2013 WCC Freshman of the Year and Hamson was previously named the 2012 WCC Player of the Year. Olmstead was also named WCC Coach of the Year in 2012.

Below is a complete listing of all-conference honors:

2014 WCC PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Alexa Gray, BYU, JR, OH

2014 WCC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Whitney Young, BYU, SO, MB

2014 WCC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Kirsten Mead, Santa Clara, S

2014 WCC CO-COACHES OF THE YEAR: Shawn Olmstead, BYU, and Greg Gibbons, Pacific

2014 ALL-WCC FIRST TEAM

Savannah Blinn, Gonzaga University, JR, OH
Alaysia Brown, University of San Diego, SR, OPP
Caitlin DeWitt, Loyola Marymount University, SR, OPP
Alexa Gray, BYU, JR, OH
Jennifer Hamson, BYU, SR, OPP
Nikki Hess, Santa Clara University, SO, OH
Gillian Howard, University of the Pacific, SR, MB
Litara Keil, Loyola Marymount University, SR, MB
Kat Schulz, University of the Pacific, JR, OPP
Hannah Tedrow, Loyola Marymount University, JR, S
Whitney Young, BYU, SO, MB
Valentina Zaloznik, University of San Francisco, SR, MB

2014 All-WCC HONORABLE MENTION

 Jianna Bonomi (USD), Amy Boswell (BYU), Samantha Cash (PEP), Sabrina Clayton (SCU), Lexi Elman (PAC), Canace Finley (USD), Natalie Loos (SMC), Kirsten Mead (SCU), Katie Messing (PEP), Taylor Milton (SCU), Dani Rottman (SCU), Becca Strehlow (PEP) 

 2014 ALL-WCC FRESHMAN TEAM

Natasha Calkins, Santa Clara University, MB
Kristen Castellanos, Loyola Marymount University, L
Kaity Edwards, Santa Clara University, MB
Kristen Gengenbacker, University of San Diego, S
Katrin Gotterba, University of the Pacific, L
Kimberly Guttierez, University of San Francisco, L
Jayden Kennedy, University of San Diego, OPP
Kirsten Mead, Santa Clara University, S
Clare Powers, Saint Mary’s College, OH
Alexis Salmons, Saint Mary’s College, MB
Andie Shelton, University of the Pacific, S
Sarah Sponcil, Loyola Marymount University, OH