All-American possibilities - Pacific Region Team

[BearClause]

Thinking about this more as I take in SportsCenter in the background........

Just remember that a player has to be named to a regional team to be eligible for AVCA All-American honors. Back in 2004, the AVCA has changed their rules such that "extraordinary" players on the regional HM lists have been eligible for AA consideration. In practice, this has only been applied to players from the Pac-10 or WCC, and such players only made 3rd team AA (Candelas, McFarland in 2004 - Matich, Kehoe, Abernathy in 2005).

So, with only a little bit of knowledge of the WCC, this is just a short list of players I think might be considered for the Pacific Region team.

Meriwether - UCLA
Morrison - Washington
Kaczor - USC
Barboza - Stanford
Pressey - California
Thompson - Washington
Spicer - UCLA
Akiradewo - Stanford
Seilhamer - USC
Dawson - San Diego
Cymalo - Santa Clara
Nyrop - San Diego
Carlson - San Diego
McGiven - Santa Clara

I know I don't have anyone from Oregon here, but I couldn't really think of anyone they have who stands out in the main statistical categories. They're also playing a 6-2, so they don't have a setter putting up big numbers. I don't know who else from the Pac-10 might be considered. Maybe Kehoe or Sam Carter. Washington has gone to so many different players although Swarbrick and Mussie seem to be big contributors.

[IdahoBoy]

TOo many WCC teams here. Isn't the Big Sky in this region? I think they'd have at least one or two players: maybe sac state?

[BearClause]

idahoboy said:

TOo many WCC teams here. Isn't the Big Sky in this region? I think they'd have at least one or two players: maybe sac state?

Sorry - you're right about the Big Sky. Somehow I thought they were in the West Region (WAC, Big West, Mountain West). There wasn't a single player from the Big Sky on the 2005 Pacific Region team - not even HM. Sandra Bandimere from Sac State was HM in 2004. Sac State's stats look like they're running a 6-2, so no setter has the numbers. Middle Michelle Franz is hitting .341 (2.46 kills/game) with 1.85 blocks/game. I guess the big knock on Sac State is that they're playing against Big Sky opponents, although Franz had a great night against Long Beach.

Here's the Pacific Region committee (John Dunning is noticeably absent):

Rich Feller, California – Chair
Andy Banachowski, UCLA
Debby Colberg, Sacramento State
Jeff Nelson, San Francisco

[Ye Olde Dawg]

Just looking at the NCAA's stats pages:

Oregon: Karen Waddington, 1.63 B/Game, ahead of everyone but Meriwether (but I don't offhand know her attack numbers).

Arizona State: Sydney Donahue, 6.86 digs/game, ahead of Sielhamer (!).


As for Washington, there's no-one I'd add as of right now.

• Brick is hitting .426 as of a week ago; Deesing is hitting .416. However, as well as they've been attacking the whole team hasn't really been putting up the blocks until just this last weekend. It remains to be seen whether the MBs will earn that kind of recognition.
  
• Other than Morrison, the outside hitters have been inconsistent. Some matches they're quite good, but others? No, I don't think there's anyone to add to your list.
  

[cruncher]

Maybe Djuric from Oregon. She seems to be their go-to player.

[BearClause]

cruncher said:

Maybe Djuric from Oregon. She seems to be their go-to player.

Djuric - 3.27 KPG, .229 hitting, 0.68 DPG.
Newcombe - 3.33 KPG, .203 hitting, 3.01 DPG.

Like I said - Oregon doesn't have any one player who really stands out. Swoboda is doing a good job, but Seilhamer or Donahue seem to be more dominant this season at libero.

[Mix Breed-TEXAS,HI,LBSU]

cruncher said:

Maybe Djuric from Oregon. She seems to be their go-to player.

No, I give the go-to player to the freshmen Sonja Newcombe, wayyyy more consistent and better #'s than Djuric.

[Mix Breed-TEXAS,HI,LBSU]

As for the Libero, I'd say Tamari Miyashiro from Washington is the best in the Pac-10 now...

[Pirate VB Fan]

fakabedit said:

As for the Libero, I'd say Tamari Miyashiro from Washington is the best in the Pac-10 now...

Tamari has really stepped it up and is making some great plays now, but I still have to go with Seilhamer from USC.

[StuffU]

huskyvbfan said:

fakabedit said:

As for the Libero, I'd say Tamari Miyashiro from Washington is the best in the Pac-10 now...

Tamari has really stepped it up and is making some great plays now, but I still have to go with Seilhamer from USC.

I also think UCLA's libero is doing a pretty darned good job this season.

[blastingsand]

huskyvbfan said:

fakabedit said:

As for the Libero, I'd say Tamari Miyashiro from Washington is the best in the Pac-10 now...

Tamari has really stepped it up and is making some great plays now, but I still have to go with Seilhamer from USC.

Yeah, I'd go with some other liberos. Not to take anything away from Tamari, but the Pac10 has Seilhamer, Donahue, Smith, Davis, and a few others. That position is stacked on this conference, as well as the setters.

[Pirate VB Fan]

jus4me28 said:

huskyvbfan said:

Tamari has really stepped it up and is making some great plays now, but I still have to go with Seilhamer from USC.

I also think UCLA's libero is doing a pretty darned good job this season.

I am philosophically opposed to 6' liberos.

[StuffU]

huskyvbfan said:

jus4me28 said:

I also think UCLA's libero is doing a pretty darned good job this season.

I am philosophically opposed to 6' liberos.

Interesting .. why?

[aaronic]

How about Crabbe from Pepperdine?

[BearClause]

aaronic said:

How about Crabbe from Pepperdine?

Maybe Milo from Pepperdine, although her blocking numbers are pretty average. I guess the thing about Crabbe is that her digs/game average is below that of 6 different Pac-10 liberos. I've also seen her play over the years and haven't been that impressed with her passing to the setter's location. Pepperdine is also 10-10 right now.