Wednesday, November 28, 2018

PORTLAND, Ore. – A trio of Western Washington players continue to receive national accolades as Vikings’ senior outside hitter Abby Phelps, junior middle blocker Kayleigh Harper and senior setter Brette Boesel have earned All-America selections from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA).

Phelps received First Team All-American honors from the AVCA and was named to the D2CCA’s Third Team. Harper earned Second Team All-America accolades from both organizations while Boesel was named to the AVCA’s third team.

For Phelps, it is the second time that she has been named a First Team All-American by the AVCA (2017). She was selected as an honorable mention by the D2CCA last year. Harper was an honorable mention by the D2CCA in 2016 while Boesel was an honorable mention in 2017.

In addition to the three Western Washington standouts, another six GNAC players were named honorable mention All-Americans by the AVCA. That list includes fellow Vikings’ senior libero Aubrey Stephens, Central Washington junior setter Gabrielle Aihara, Simon Fraser senior middle blocker Tessa May, Wildcats’ junior libero Kyla Morgan, Alaska Anchorage freshman right side Eve Stephens and Central Washington sophomore outside hitter Makala Swart.

All nine players were recognized as members of the AVCA All-West Region Team with Phelps, Harper, Boesel, Morgan and Swart earned first-team honors. Phelps and Harper were also named First Team All-West Region selections by the D2CCA.

Phelps, who was also named GNAC Player of the Year for the second straight year, led the conference and is 26th in Division II with 3.94 kills per set. She is also the league leader and ranks 21st in Division II with 4.46 points per set.

Harper leads the GNAC and is ranked third in Division II with a .402 hitting percentage and with 1.43 blocks per set. She paces a WWU squad that is fourth in the nation with 2.79 blocks per set.

Boesel was a First Team All-GNAC selection after she led the conference in assists. She enters the NCAA quarterfinals ranked eighth in Division II with 11.94 assists per set and paced a Vikings’ squad that was 22nd in Division II with 13.17 assists per set.