Tuesday, November 24, 2015

PORTLAND, Ore. – Katelynn Zanders’ efforts to lead Alaska Anchorage to its first conference championship in six years has been recognized by coaches with her selection as the Great Northwest Athletic Conference’s Player of the Year.

The award for the senior outside hitter leads selections to the 2015 GNAC Volleyball All-Conference Team, which was released Nov. 24. She was one of seven players that were unanimous picks to the 14-player squad.

Simon Fraser junior libero Alison McKay was named the GNAC’s Defensive Player of the Year. Concordia sophomore middle blocker Colby Barnette was selected as the Newcomer of the Year while Western Washington outside hitter Abby Phelps was honored as the Freshman of the Year. Alaska Anchorage head coach Chris Green was named the GNAC Coach of the Year for the second time in three seasons.

Zanders received all but one first place vote in Player of the Year voting as she helped lead the Seawolves to a 26-2 overall record and their first GNAC championship since 2009. Zanders led Alaska Anchorage and finished second in the GNAC with 3.75 kills per set and also had 3.13 digs per set. She finished with double-digit kills in all but six matches and had double-doubles in 15 matches, topped by a 22-kill, 17-dig performance against Western Oregon on Sept. 17.

Zanders lead a total of four first team selections and five overall selections for Alaska Anchorage. Her teammate, senior right side Julia Mackey, became the first volleyball player in GNAC history to be named to the first team in four conseuctive seasons.

McKay also received all but one first place vote as she anchored the Simon Fraser defense. She finished second in the GNAC and finished ranked ninth in Division II with an average of 6.09 digs per set. She paced a Clan defense that led the GNAC and was ranked 21st in Division II with 18.53 digs per set. McKay finished with 30 or more digs six times, topped by a 42-dig performance in the season finale at Seattle Pacific on Nov. 21 that is the eighth best in GNAC history in a four-set match.

Barnette was tabbed as the league’s top newcomer as Concordia transitioned to their first full GNAC schedule. Barnette finished third for the Cavaliers with a .240 hitting percentage, averaged 2.11 kills per set and finished ranked sixth in the GNAC with 1.24 blocks per set. Phelps, one of three first team selections for Western Washington, earned Freshman of the Year honors after finishing ninth in the league with an average of 3.04 kills per set.

Green was selected by his peers as GNAC Coach of the Year for the third time after leading the Seawolves to the conference title and a No. 9 national ranking, the best in school history. Green was previously named Coach of the Year in 2009 and 2013 and enters the NCAA Division II Tournament with a 158-68 record in eight seasons leading the program.

Central Washington matched Alaska Anchorage with five overall selections to the all-conference team, paced by a three-time selection for senior setter Catie Fry. She, Zanders and Mackey were joined by Alaska senior outside hitter Sam Harthun (a three-time first team selection and four-time overall selection), Central Washington senior outside hitter Linden Firethorne and Western Washington senior outside hitter Rachel Roeder as repeat first team selections. Northwest Nazarene sophomore middle blocker Madi Farrell and Alaska Anchorage junior setter Morgan Hooe were named to the first team after earning honorable mention distinction in 2014.

Central Washington junior outside hitter Kiah Jones and Montana State Billings senior setter Kyndal Williams repeated as honorable mentions. Western Washington senior opposite Jennica McPherson was named an honorable mention after earning the same honor in 2013.

2015 GNAC VOLLEYBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Player of the Year: Katelynn Zanders, Alaska Anchorage
Coach of the Year: Chris Green, Alaska Anchorage
Defensive Player of the Year: Alison McKay, Simon Fraser
Freshman of the Year: Abby Phelps, Western Washington
Newcomer of the Year: Colby Barnette, Concordia