Danielson is All-American for third time

The remarkable career of Hawaii senior Kanani Danielson and the rapid rise of sophomore Emily Hartong were recognized by the American Volleyball Coaches Association Wednesday. Danielson, a Kamehameha graduate, was named a first-team All-American while Hartong, from Los Alamitos, Calif., is on the second team.

Danielson is the third Rainbow Wahine to earn national honors all four years, following Angelica Ljungquist (1993-96) and Kanoe Kamana‘o (2003-06).

The UH captain also becomes the sixth Wahine named to the first team three times, following Diane Sebastian, Deitre Collins, Teee Williams, Lily Kahumoku and Kim Willoughby. Of those five, all but Kahumoku played on the U.S. national team.

Hartong was the 2010 Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year and played all three front-row positions for the Wahine this season. She ranks 25th nationally with a hitting percentage of .369 and was second on the team in aces (31) and blocks (95).

Hartong, who is 6 feet 2, was in the middle most of the season. She also hit on the right side. When Danielson missed the Utah State match, Hartong took her place on the left and had 15 kills on .344 hitting, with eight digs and four blocks.

UH coach Dave Shoji calls Hartong’s versatility her greatest asset and that ability allowed him to experiment with a younger, taller lineup this year. Next year, her flexibility will be huge again.

"She could play the left, middle and right again," he said. "She’s one of those players who comes to practice every single day and goes hard. There’s no question about her motivation. She’s just solid.

"Her athleticism and her armswing are suited both to the middle and outside. She’s got one of the purest and fastest armswings we’ve had. She’s quick to attack the ball and had really never played a lot outside so next year will be another learning curve for her. But she’s got the arm and vertical we need out there."

Hartong will be the first to admit no one can take Danielson’s place. Hawaii went 123-12 with the Kamehameha graduate hitting, blocking, passing and digging the past four years. Her statistics were almost identically brilliant each year.

Danielson finished her career averaging four kills, 2.8 digs and 0.57 blocks, with a .297 hitting percentage that is exceptionally high for an outside hitter.

"I think she set the bar so high early," Shoji said, "it was hard for her numbers to be increasingly good."

She had 21 double-doubles her senior season, going for 20-plus kills and digs her final two matches.

Danielson will be named the winner of volleyball’s national Lowes Senior CLASS Award today. It honors the player who performs best in the areas of community, classroom, character and competition. She was chosen from among 12 finalists after an online fan vote.

Her numbers provide more than enough evidence. Danielson, relatively small at 5-11, is fifth on Hawaii’s career lists for kills (1,760) and digs (1,233). She became the seventh Wahine with more than 1,000 of each. She was a primary passer and defender every season, as well as an Academic All-WAC selection.

"The thing that wows me," said Olympian and UH assistant coach Robyn Ah Mow-Santos, "is her ability to see the court, see the game being played and her natural ability to pass and dig balls with ease. Her ball control and touch are so rare. She will make a ball that is so difficult look so easy."

Brittany Hewitt, honored by the AVCA on its second team last year when she led the country in blocking, is an honorable mention selection as a junior. The 6-3 middle from Eagle, Idaho, missed a few matches and lots of practice this year with nagging injuries and illness, bringing her numbers down. She is still 18th nationally in blocking, at 1.36 a set.

Hewitt climbed into seventh, ahead of Olympian Heather Bown, in career blocks with 451. She will graduate in May and said she will probably pursue post-graduate work in the fall and play her final year.

The AVCA’s national Freshman of the Year is Texas hitter Haley Eckerman. Coach and Player of the Year will be announced later this week at the final four in San Antonio.

AVCA ALL-AMERICA FIRST TEAM