Bajema Wins AVCA Region Player Of The Year
December 10, 2019 | Volleyball
SEATTLE โ Husky senior Kara Bajema has been named the Player of the Year for the Pacific North Region of the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Bajema was one of four Huskies to earn All-Region accolades today.
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The Pacific North Region is made up of half of the Pac-12 Conference, along with multiple teams from the Big Sky Conference, Big West Conference, Mountain West Conference, and WCC. Pac-12 teams in the region include California, Stanford, Oregon, Oregon State, and Washington State.
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The AVCA only began naming Region Players of the Year in 2017, so Bajema becomes the first Husky to win this honor. It is her second-straight All-Region Team selection and makes her eligible for All-America honors once again.
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Bajema's 553 kills this season rank fourth in UW single season history as she has led the Husky attack for the second year in a row. After earning Third Team All-America honors last season, Bajema has increased her kills per set from 3.86 a year ago to 4.57 this year, while raising her attack percentage from .228 to .276. Her 1,438 career kills also rank sixth all-time at UW.
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Sophomore setter Ella May Powell was also named All-Pacific North Region for the first time today. Powell already ranks eighth in school history with 2,633 assists. She leads the Huskies with 39 aces on the season, ranks third in digs with 2.37 per set and has added 0.54 kills per set and 0.62 blocks per set.
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Juniors Samantha Drechsel and Lauren Sanders were each named honorable mention as well, a first for both.
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Drechsel is second on the team with 2.92 kills per set, hitting .240 and averaging a career-best 0.79 blocks per set with a career-high 30 aces. She reached double-figures in kills in 19 of the 20 Pac-12 matches.
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Sanders is also moving up the Husky career blocks list as she is ninth with 408. In Pac-12 play, Sanders ranked fourth this season with 1.31 blocks per set and 10th with a .315 attack percentage. Overall, her .315 attack percentage leads the Huskies.
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The Huskies head into the NCAA Round of 16 this week in Waco, Texas. Washington will take on No. 9-seed Kentucky on Friday at 11:30 a.m. Pacific time on ESPN3. If the Huskies advance, they'll play again Saturday at 1 p.m. Pacific for a spot in the Final Four against either No. 1 Baylor or No. 16 Purdue.
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The Pacific North Region is made up of half of the Pac-12 Conference, along with multiple teams from the Big Sky Conference, Big West Conference, Mountain West Conference, and WCC. Pac-12 teams in the region include California, Stanford, Oregon, Oregon State, and Washington State.
ย
The AVCA only began naming Region Players of the Year in 2017, so Bajema becomes the first Husky to win this honor. It is her second-straight All-Region Team selection and makes her eligible for All-America honors once again.
ย
Bajema's 553 kills this season rank fourth in UW single season history as she has led the Husky attack for the second year in a row. After earning Third Team All-America honors last season, Bajema has increased her kills per set from 3.86 a year ago to 4.57 this year, while raising her attack percentage from .228 to .276. Her 1,438 career kills also rank sixth all-time at UW.
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Sophomore setter Ella May Powell was also named All-Pacific North Region for the first time today. Powell already ranks eighth in school history with 2,633 assists. She leads the Huskies with 39 aces on the season, ranks third in digs with 2.37 per set and has added 0.54 kills per set and 0.62 blocks per set.
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Juniors Samantha Drechsel and Lauren Sanders were each named honorable mention as well, a first for both.
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Drechsel is second on the team with 2.92 kills per set, hitting .240 and averaging a career-best 0.79 blocks per set with a career-high 30 aces. She reached double-figures in kills in 19 of the 20 Pac-12 matches.
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Sanders is also moving up the Husky career blocks list as she is ninth with 408. In Pac-12 play, Sanders ranked fourth this season with 1.31 blocks per set and 10th with a .315 attack percentage. Overall, her .315 attack percentage leads the Huskies.
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The Huskies head into the NCAA Round of 16 this week in Waco, Texas. Washington will take on No. 9-seed Kentucky on Friday at 11:30 a.m. Pacific time on ESPN3. If the Huskies advance, they'll play again Saturday at 1 p.m. Pacific for a spot in the Final Four against either No. 1 Baylor or No. 16 Purdue.
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PACIFIC NORTH REGION
| Name | School | Pos. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| ย Kara Bajema** | ย Washington | ย OH | ย Sr. |
| ย Maia Dvoracek | ย Cal Poly | ย RS | ย Jr. |
| ย Audriana Fitzmorris*** | ย Stanford | ย RS | ย Sr. |
| ย Madeleine Gates** | ย Stanford | ย MB | ย Gr. |
| ย Jenna Gray*** | ย Stanford | ย S | ย Sr. |
| ย Morgan Hentz*** | ย Stanford | ย L | ย Sr. |
| ย Kirstie Hillyer | ย Colorado State | ย MB | ย RS-Sr. |
| ย Norene Iosia | ย Hawai'i | ย S/H | ย Sr. |
| ย Magda Jehlarova | ย Washington State | ย MB | ย Fr. |
| ย Mima Mirkovic | ย California | ย OH | ย Jr. |
| ย Taylor Odom | ย Santa Clara | ย MB | ย RS-Sr. |
| ย Katie Oleksak**** | ย Colorado State | ย S | ย Sr. |
| ย Ella May Powell | ย Washington | ย S | ย So. |
| ย Breana Runnels | ย Colorado State | ย OH | ย RS-Jr. |
HONORABLE MENTION
| Name | School | Pos. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| ย Samantha Drechsel | ย Washington | ย OH | ย Jr. |
| ย Hanna Hellvig | ย Hawai'i | ย OH | ย Fr. |
| ย Amber Igiede | ย Hawai'i | ย MB | ย Fr. |
| ย Meghan McClure | ย Stanford | ย OH | ย Jr. |
| ย Lauren Sanders | ย Washington | ย MB | ย Jr. |
| ย Ronika Stone | ย Oregon | ย MB | ย Sr. |
Player of the Year:ย Kara Bajema, Washington, OH, Sr.
Freshman of the Year:ย Magda Jehlarova, Washington State, MB
Coach of the Year:ย Robyn Ah Mow, Hawai'i
Players Mentioned
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