Better numbers. Better national ranking. Still not good enough to break through.
For the second consecutive season, Hawaii’s Nikki Taylor was selected to the AVCA All-America second team. The senior opposite took Wednesday’s announcement much the way she has dealt with a season-ending injury and the recent news that her coach had been diagnosed with prostate cancer: in stride and looking at the positives.
“It’s a huge honor, getting second team is a huge accomplishment that I’m proud of,” the two-time Big West player of the year said. “When Jeff (associate coach Hall) told me, I tried to look at my own game, think of a reason why I didn’t get first team, specifically because of the numbers I put up this season.
“But the numbers and the awards don’t define a player, don’t define abilities I will keep that mantra going and keep working hard.”
Joining Taylor on the AVCA list was junior middle Emily Maglio, who was named as one of 68 honorable mentions. The pair, also beach volleyball All-Americans, give the Rainbow Wahine program its 56th and 57th All-American certificates for a total of 29 players honored. Hawaii also had 14 AIAW All-American certificates (nine players) and 15 certificates (10 athletes) from the USVBA prior to the NCAA sponsorship of the sport in 1981.
Hall, heading the indoor program while Dave Shoji is on leave for medical reasons, had the same opinion Shoji had last year when Taylor was not named to the 14-member first team.
“It’s a great award but disappointing,” said Hall, also the head beach coach. “Nikki is one of the best players in the country and she deserves first team. But it is what it is and it’s other people’s opinions.
“Not everybody is aware of what she brings to the table, that she plays all six rotations, and that is the piece that we’ve lobbied for her. She plays all the way around, she scores in the front court, she scores in the back court. Some of these kids on the first team only play three rotations.
“I’m really happy for ‘Mags’ (Maglio). She’s a really incredible player who has worked really hard and we’re proud of her. I’ve always said the beach complements the indoor and the indoor complements the beach. This is two prime examples of kids overachieving in both and I’m proud to coach them both on different surfaces. ”
Maglio led the Big West in hitting percentage (.400), which put her 14th nationally. The Canadian national also was 30th in blocks per set (1.33 bps).
Taylor is the 17th Wahine to earn multiple All-America awards and the fourth in the last 10 years, joining Jamie Houston (2006, ’08), Kanani Danielson (2008-11), and Emily Hartong (2011-13). After the regular season, she ranked No. 2 nationally in ace average (0.61 per set), fifth in points (5.76 pps) and 14th in kills (4.54 kps); last year, the Kaiser High graduate was 27th in ace average (0.42), fifth in points (5.48 pps) and 16th in kills (4.46 kps).
Four players with Hawaii ties also were honored on Wednesday: Utah junior hitter Adora Anae (Kahuku), second team; Arizona senior hitter Kalei Mau (St. Francis/Kaiser), third team; Arizona senior setter Penina Snuka (Kahuku), third team; and Missouri senior hitter Carly Kan (Punahou), honorable mention.
While Maglio intends to continue her beach career this spring, Taylor said she will concentrate on rehabbing the ankle fractured three points into the NCAA second-round match with Minnesota and prepare for a professional indoor career. Her injury did not require surgery and she is scheduled to be out of her walking boot next week.
The Rainbow Wahine were still dealing with the news of Shoji’s cancer diagnosis. The 42nd-year coach told the team about it on Sunday.
Said Taylor, who served as floor captain: “We didn’t even know he was ill. It’s the first time in my life that I’ve had someone close to me be diagnosed with cancer so I’m learning day to day how to process this. I’m overcome with sadness. While the news does suck, I know God has a plan and Dave is in a unique place where he has the opportunity to spread awareness of prostate cancer. I think looking at the positives out of what might seem only a negative diagnosis is what is best for Dave and his family right now.”
NOTE: Hall confirmed that first-year assistant coach Lindsey Berg would be returning to her multi-pronged business ventures in Los Angeles as planned. The three-time Olympic setter’s contract had been only for this past season.
