Tuesday, November 28, 2017
PORTLAND, Ore. – The GNAC is showing strong once again on the regional stage with the selection of six players, including four first-team honorees, to the D2CCA All-West Region Volleyball Team.
Central Washington senior middle blocker Sabrina Wheelhouse and Northwest Nazarene senior middle blocker Madi Farrell both earned first-team honors for the second consecutive year. Farrell was named to the All-West Region team for the third season, having earned second-team honors in 2015. The duo is joined by the GNAC Player of the Year, Western Washington junior outside hitter Abby Phelps, and Vikings’ junior setter Brette Boesel.
The GNAC also had a pair of second-team selections in Alaska Anchorage senior libero Keala Kaio-Perez and Northwest Nazarene senior outside hitter Kendra Bodine, who also earned a second-team nod in 2016.
In all, GNAC players earned six of the 14 D2CCA All-West Region selections, the most of any West Region conference. All six players will be in action during the NCAA Division II West Regional, which starts Thursday at Cal Baptist’s Van Dyne Gym.
Wheelhouse, the GNAC Defensive Player of the Year, enters the NCAA West Regional as the Division II leader in blocks, averaging 1.50 per set, and paces a Wildcats’ squad that ranks third in Division II with 2.78 blocks per set. A steady presence at the net all season, Wheelhouse had five or more blocks in 18 different matches, topped by a 14-block performance in a five-set win over Alaska on Sept. 28.
Farrell, a four-time All-GNAC selection, enters the West Regional leading the GNAC and ranked fourth in Division II with a .417 hitting percentage and is seventh in Division II with 1.36 blocks per set. Farrell posted double-digit kills in 25 matches, including three performances with 20 or more kills. She finished with 24 kills at Central Washington on Oct. 10 and had a double-double of 18 kills and 10 blocks against Western Washington on Sept. 16.
Phelps, the GNAC Player of the Year, leads the GNAC and ranks among the top-30 in Division II in hitting percentage, kills, digs and blocks. The junior closed the regular season second in the GNAC and 20th in Division II with 4.15 kills per set while also ranking second in the league in points (4.78 per set) and seventh in digs (4.48 per set). Phelps’ 12.49 attacks per set ranks eighth nationally. Phelps finished with double-digit kills in all but two matches during the regular season and had 22 double-doubles, paced by her 19-kill, 31-dig performance against Simon Fraser on Sept. 19.
Boesel earned First Team All-GNAC and All-West Region honors for the first time after she led the GNAC and ranked 13th in Division II with 11.60 assists per set. She finished with 40 or more assists in 14 matches and had 10 double-doubles. Boesel posted a season-high 53 assists against Simon Fraser on Sept. 19 and had 52 at Seattle Pacific on Nov. 9.
Nominated by and voted upon by the region’s sports information directors, the four first-team selections will be forwarded on for consideration for the D2CCA Volleyball All-America Team, which will be announced on Dec. 5.