By KEVIN JAKAHI
By KEVIN JAKAHI
Hawaii Tribune-Herald
Rainbow Wahine senior Nikki Taylor joined elite volleyball company when she was named to the All-Big West first team for the fourth time on Monday.
The 6-foot-4 opposite also earned conference player of the year for the second straight year, and Norene Iosia, Savanah Kahakai, Emily Maglio and Annie Mitchum also landed on the first team.
Taylor became the sixth Rainbow Wahine to earn all-conference, first team honors all four years, joining Angelica Ljunquist (1993-95, Big West, 1996 WAC), Lily Kahumoku (1999-2000, ’02-’03), Kim Willoughby (2000-03), Kanoe Kamana‘o (2003-06) and Kanani Danielson (2008-11).
What those players also have in common is none led Hawaii to a NCAA national championship.
UH’s last national championship was in 1987, a four-set victory over Stanford.
That squad was led by seniors Tita Ahuna and Suzanne Eagye, junior setter Martina Cincerova, and sophomore Teee Williams, considered the most talented Wahine in school history.
Williams was the national player of the year in 1987 and co-national player of the year in 1989 with Olympic teammate and Long Beach standout Tara Cross. She was a three-time, first-team All-American and 1992 Barcelona bronze medalist.
Ljunquist’s team in 1996 was the last to reach the national championship, falling to Stanford, powered by Kerri Walsh, in straight sets.
That UH squad also featured Robyn Ah Mow, considered the most talented setter in school history. Ah Mow was a two-time, first team All-American and 2008 Beijing Olympic silver medalist.
Meanwhile, Taylor recorded career-highs across the board: 4.59 kill average per set, .65 aces, 1.15 blocks, and 5.85 points per set.
Taylor is 12th in UH history with 1,354 career kills, eighth with 116 service aces, and 10th with 3.67 kills per set.
UH’s Dave Shoji earned his sixth Big West Coach of the Year and 14th overall conference coach of the year award.
In the final week of the regular season, Shoji collected his 1,200th career victory, becoming just the second NCAA DI women’s volleyball coach to hit the 1,200 win milestone. Shoji, who is in his 42nd year, now has a career record of 1,201-203-1.
He trails Penn State’s Russ Rose who notched his 1,200th career win earlier this season. Rose, in his 38th year, is 1,211-195 in his career.
The Rainbow Wahine captured their fourth Big West title in five years, since returning to the league.
With the Big West championship, UH grabbed the conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA Championship, its 24th consecutive trip and 35th overall.
No. 12 Hawaii (25-5), on a 10-match winning streak, will face USC (18-13) in the first round at 12:30 p.m. Friday at Minneapolis.
No. 2 Minnesota (25-4) will play North Dakota (26-9) in the other subregional match.
Last season, the Gophers ousted the Rainbow Wahine in the Elite Eight. UH is 7-1 all-time against Minnesota, which is 13-0 on its home court this year.