The University of Alaska Fairbanks    

Nanooks net 4 GNAC honors

By BOB ELEY, Sports Editor

Four University of Alaska Fairbanks volleyball players were honored Tuesday when the Great Northwest Athletic Conference announced its all-conference selections.

Outside hitter Mallory Bergstrom was named to the all-conference first team and outside hitter Danielle Hitzeman was named Freshman of the Year in a vote of the league's coaches.

Also, Candice Smith and Carlin Smith earned honorable-mention honors.

Bergstrom, a 5-11 junior from Bend, Ore., led the Nanooks, who posted a 13-10 overall record and a 10-8 GNAC mark, in both kills and digs. She had 425 kills for an average of 4.72 kills per game and 360 digs for an average of 4.0 per game. She also had a hitting percentage of .243, registered 47 total blocks and 16 service aces. All of her statistics, with the exception of service aces, were career highs. Her kill total was the third highest in UAF history and ranked 14th in the nation. Also in the UAF record book, Bergstrom is third for total career kills with 906, sixth for total carer digs with 858 and ninth in career hitting percentage with .214.

"It was no surprise Mallory was recognized for her performance this season," UAF coach Phil Shoemaker said in a release issued by the university. "However, you are never quite sure everyone will see it that way."

Shoemaker said that Bergstrom had a truly amazing season.

"She carried a big load for our team and gave us tremendous effort," Shoemaker said. "She works so hard and no one is more dedicated to the training phase of our team. She always wants to do the right thing, so the effort is never a question."

Hitzeman is 5-10 and came to UAF from Vacaville, Calif., where she was a high school standout. She registered 316 kills for an average of 3.51 per game with a .212 hitting percentage and had 284 digs for an average of 3.16 per game. She also served up 37 aces and had 34 total blocks.

"I think Danielle is an excellant player," he said. "She filled a specific need in our team and she always wants to do a good job. I think this is just the start to a great career."

Candice Smith, a 6-1 senior right side from Mount Lehman, British Columbia, completed her UAF career with another solid season. She had 189 kills for an average of 2.12 per game, a career-high .177 hitting percentage, 229 digs and 81 total blocks to move into a tie for third place on UAF's all-time list with 287. She had a career total of 588 kills.

Carlin Smith, a 6-1 junior middle blocker from Brea, Calif., who missed four matches due to injury, finished with 149 kills for an average of 2.07 per game. She had a .266 attack percentage, which is fourth in the UAF record book. Smith is also fourth in career hitting percentage with .224. She also blocked 68 shots to move into fifth place on UAF's all-time block list with a career total of 267.

"Candice and Carlin are very deserving of the recognition," Shoemaker said. "They both played valuable roles on our team this season and in the past.

"Carlin is a solidifying force on this team and her impact on this team was never more evident than when she was out of the lineup due to injury," Shoemaker added. "We're going to miss Candice and everything she's meant to the team. She is a kid who's going to work hard throughout life and put herself in position to reach her goals."

Western Washington setter Liz Bishop, who helped lead the Vikings to their third consecutive perfect 18-0 conference campaign, was named Player of the Year for the second consecutive year. Bishop was joined on the first-team GNAC all-conference squad by three of her teammates - middle hitters Meghan Evoy and Kristy Carstensen and libero Nicola Parker.

The Vikings' Diane Flick was voted the GNAC Coach of the Year for the third year in a row.

Central Washington's middle hitter LeAnne McGahuey and setter Kate Reome and Seattle middle hitter Lizzy Safranski rounded out the first team.

Alaska Anchorage had two players on the second team - O'Lita McWilliams and Mindy Cason.