2017 Big West Women’s Beach Volleyball
Big West Conference - 2 Corporate Park, Suite 206, Irvine, CA 92606
Contact: Olivia Phelps, Assistant Director of Communications
Phone: (949) 261-2525 • Fax: (949) 261-2528 • email: [email protected]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For Immediate Release - Tuesday, May 2, 2017
March 10, 2003
Rainbow Wahine, 49ers Receive Highest Honors
IRVINE, CA – The premier awards went to representatives from Hawai‘i and Long Beach State to highlight
today’s announcement of the 2017 Big West Beach Volleyball All-Conference team. Hawai‘i claimed back-to-back Big West tournament titles in addition to garnering two of the top awards:
freshman Morgan Martin and senior Mikayla Tucker earned Pairs Team of the Year honors, while Martin also
collected Freshman of the Year accolades. Long Beach State’s Mike Campbell earned Coach of the Year,
the first such award for the Beach.
The SandBows and 49ers will represent the Big West Conference at the NCAA Tournament in Gulf Shores,
Alabama hosted by the University of Alabama at Birmingham May 5-7. The championship will have an
eight-team bracket that will be played in double-elimination format.
Playing every match at the No. 1 spot this season, Hawaii’s Martin and Tucker received a Pairs Team of the
Week nod over the course of the year to help UH to a 26-5 record. Spearheading the way for the Rainbow
Wahine, the duo helped the SandBows maintain a No. 6 national ranking and earn a No. 5 seed in the
NCAA Tournament. With a 19-12 overall mark for a .613 win-percentage, the pair will be key at the No. 1
spot for the ‘Bows in the postseason.
Not only did Martin earn Pairs Team of the Year honors, she also received Freshman of the Year accolades
for her efforts on the sand. The newcomer highlighted her standout season with 11 straight-set wins in
2017 and will play a big role in Hawaii’s postseason run. The Rainbow Wahine open NCAA action with
Florida State after earning an at-large selection. Martin is the second-straight ’Bow to receive the accolade.
At the helm for the 49ers, coach Campbell led the Beach to a 26-8 overall mark to earn a No. 1 seed for the
conference tournament. The Beach went undefeated versus Big West opposition in the regular season for
a clean 8-0 record against league foes heading into the Big West championship. After receiving an at-large
selection for the NCAA Tournament, Campbell will take his squad to the championship for the first time
where LBSU will face Pepperdine to open postseason play. The all-conference first team features Hawai‘i duos Emily Maglio and Laurel Weaver and Nikki Taylor and
Kai’iwi Schucht in addition to the aforementioned Pairs Team of the Year. Nele Barber and Rachel Nieto
represent the 49ers along with teammates Sasha Karelov and Kobi Pekich. From Cal Poly, Emily Sonny and
Hannah Hubbard earn first team honors alongside fellow Mustangs, Taylor Nelson and Adlee Van Winden.
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2017 BIG WEST WOMEN’S BEACH VOLLEYBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
FIRST TEAM
Pairs
Emily Sonny/Hannah Hubbard
Taylor Nelson/Adlee Van Winden
Morgan Martin/Mikayla Tucker
Emily Maglio/Laurel Weaver
Nikki Taylor/Kai’iwi Schucht
Nele Barber/Rachel Nieto
Sasha Karelov/Kobi Pekich
School
Cal Poly
Cal Poly
Hawai‘i
Hawai‘i
Hawai‘i
Long Beach State
Long Beach State
Yr.Hometown
Fr./Jr. Arroyo Grande, Calif./San Diego, Calif.
Jr./So. Granite Bay, Calif./Napa, Calif.
Fr./Sr. Mission Viejo, Calif./Placerville, Calif.
So./Jr. Coquitlam, B.C., Canada/Winnetka, Calif.
Sr./Jr. Honolulu, O’ahu/Escondido, Calif.
Jr./Jr.
Berlin, Germany/Walnut Creek, Calif.
Sr./Sr. Raleigh, N.C./Huntington Beach, Calif.
School
CSU Bakersfield
CSUN
Hawai‘i
Long Beach State
Sacramento State
Yr.Hometown
Sr./Sr. São Paulo, Brazil/Bakersfield, Calif.
Sr./Jr. Goleta, Calif./Harbor City, Calif.
So./Jr. Woodland Hills, Calif./Honolulu, O’ahu
Fr./So. Phoenix, Ariz./Riga Latvia
Sr./So. Portland, Ore./Vacaville, Calif.
School
Cal Poly
Cal Poly
Long Beach State
Yr.Hometown
Sr./Jr. Sammamish, Wash./Lake Forest, Calif.
Jr./Fr.
San Diego, Calif./Chico, Calif.
Sr./So. San Diego, Calif./Lakewood, Calif.
SECOND TEAM
Pairs
Carol Grasso/Sara Little
Maddie Leiphardt/Nickeisha Williams
Ari Homayun/Carly Kan
Hailey Harward/Anete Brinke
Alexis Skalbeck/Brie Gathright
HONORABLE MENTION
Pairs
Anna Gorman/Savannah Niemen
Raeann Greisen/Heather Pembroke
Jenelle Hudson/Megan Kruidhof
2017 BIG WEST PAIRS TEAM OF THE YEAR
Morgan Martin and Mikayla Tucker, Hawai‘i
2017 BIG WEST FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Morgan Martin, Hawai‘i
2017 BIG WEST COACH OF THE YEAR
Mike Campbell, Long Beach State