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Oregon defensive lineman DeForest Buckner and UCLA place-kicker Kaimi Fairbairn, who both graduated from Punahou in 2012, earned All-Pac-12 football honors on Tuesday.
Buckner was named the Pac-12 defensive player of the year after a dominating senior season. The 6-foot-7 300-pounder finished the year second on the Ducks with 76 total tackles and first with 16 tackles for loss and 91⁄2 sacks. He’s also credited with six quarterback hurries, five pass breakups, five passes defended and one fumble recovery.
“I’m just honored to have received such a prestigious award,” Buckner said in a UO press release. “I know there are several other defensive players within the conference that could have been chosen. Being the one selected to receive the award is a blessing. I also know that none of this would have happened if it weren’t for the help and guidance of my coaches and teammates, so I’m truly thankful.”
Fairbairn was named to the second team after setting the UCLA career record for points.
In 12 games this season, Fairbairn has converted all 44 extra-point tries and is 20-for-23 on field goals for 104 total points.
He tied a Pac-12 record with a 60-yard field goal and was 16-for-16 on field-goal tries of 39 yards and less.
Fairbairn also averaged 64.6 yards on his kickoffs with 56 touchbacks in 79 tries.
Washington State defensive lineman Hercules Mata’afa, a 2014 Lahainaluna alumnus, earned honorable-mention honors this year as a redshirt freshman.
Anae, Snuka, Mau make All-Pac-12
Arizona’s Penina Snuka and Kalei Mau and Utah’s Adora Anae were selected to the All-Pac-12 women’s volleyball team.
Snuka, a 2013 Kahuku alumna, led the conference in total assists with 1,323 and was second in assists per set (10.93). The 5-foot-6 junior also led the conference with 21 double-doubles, recording 10 in her last 11 matches.
Snuka is already fifth in school history in assists and sixth in digs as a junior. She made the Pac-12 All-Freshman team in her first year and is a repeat selection to the All-Pac-12 team from last year.
Mau, a first-time all-conference honoree, finished third in the conference, averaging 4.33 kills per set. The 6-foot-1 junior outside hitter, who is a Kaiser alumna, has 18 or more kills in 14 of her past 24 matches and has at least 20 in eight of those matches.
Anae, a 6-foot-1 sophomore outside hitter who graduated from Kahuku in 2014, is just the second Utes player in program history to earn All-Pac-12 honors.
Anae, who made the All-Freshman team last year, set a rally-scoring single-match school record for kills three different times this season, ending with a career-best 28 against Oregon State on Nov. 1.
She finished the season with a single-season school record of 501 kills and also led the Utes with 388 digs. Her 4.25 kills per set average ranked fourth in the conference.
A total of 18 players were selected to one All-Pac-12 team.
Kan is repeat All-SEC selection
Missouri junior Carly Kan was named to the All-SEC volleyball team for the third consecutive year.
The 2013 Punahou graduate ranks second in the conference with 452 kills and 514.5 points. Her 4.00 kills per set and 4.55 points per set rank third in the SEC.
She’s tallied eight 20-plus-kill matches and 16 double-doubles this season.
Kan won four consecutive tournament MVP honors to start the season to help the Tigers open the year with 12 straight wins.
Missouri plays Missouri State on Thursday in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Keni makes PFL first team
San Diego senior Pono Keni, a 2012 Saint Louis alumnus, was named to the All-Pioneer Football League first team.
Keni was one of seven repeat selections to make the first team this season. The 6-foot-3, 290-pound senior offensive lineman helped the Toreros go 9-2 overall and 7-1 in league to claim a share of the conference title after a 28-27 win over Butler on Nov. 21.
Keni started at left tackle for USD and helped an offensive line that allowed only 16 sacks in 11 games. The Toreros averaged 169.3 rushing yards a game, which is 80 yards more per game than they allowed.
AROUND THE NATION
FOOTBALL
>> Kamalei Correa, Saint Louis ’13: The Boise State defensive lineman made six tackles, with two for a loss, a sack and two quarterback hurries in a 40-23 win over San Jose State on Saturday.
>> DeForest Buckner, Punahou ’12: The Oregon senior defensive lineman had seven tackles, with two for a loss and a sack on senior day in a 52-42 win over Oregon State on Friday.
>> Manase Hungalu, Kealakehe ’13: The Oregon State linebacker made five tackles against the Ducks.
>> Kalani Vakameilalo, Kapolei ’14: The Oregon State freshman defensive lineman had two tackles and a sack and broke up a pass against Oregon.
>> Titus Failauga, Mid-Pacific ’13: The Oregon State sophomore defensive end made two solo tackles against UO.
>> Kanawai Noa, Punahou ’15: The California freshman returned three kickoffs for 72 yards and a punt for 2 yards in a 48-46 win over Arizona State on Saturday.
>> Scott Pagano, Moanalua ’13: The Clemson defensive lineman made two tackles in a 37-32 win over South Carolina on Saturday.
>> Russell Siavii, Leilehua ’12: The Idaho safety made four solo tackles and intercepted a pass in a 38-31 win over Texas State on Saturday.
>> Breiden Fehoko, Farrington ’15: The Texas Tech freshman defensive lineman made three tackles, with one for a loss, in a 48-45 win over Texas on Thanksgiving.
>> Psalm Wooching, Kealakehe ’12: The Washington linebacker made two tackles and broke up a pass in a 45-10 win over Washington State on Friday.
>> Hercules Mata’afa, Lahainaluna ’14: The Washington State defensive lineman made four tackles, with two for a loss, and a sack against Washington.
>> Taylor Taliulu, Kamehameha ’12: The Washington State safety made three tackles against Washington.
>> Graham Rowley, Waialua ’10: The Brigham Young defensive lineman had a tackle for a loss in a 51-28 win over Utah State on Saturday.
>> Tim Kamana, Punahou ’12: The Wyoming sophomore linebacker made two tackles and intercepted a pass he returned for 5 yards in a 35-28 win over UNLV on Saturday.
>> Siaosi Hala’api’api, Kaimuki ’12: The Wyoming defensive lineman made two tackles, with one for a loss, against UNLV.
>> Peni Vea, Kealakehe ’11: The UNLV safety made four tackles against the Cowboys.
>> Kamu Grugier-Hill, Kamehameha ’12: The Eastern Illinois linebacker returned from a two-game absence to collect eight solo tackles, with two for a loss, a sack and two fumble recoveries in a 53-17 loss to Northern Iowa in the first round of the FCS playoffs on Saturday.
>> Keanu Yamamoto, Hawaii Prep ’12: The Linfield (Ore.) senior defensive back made eight tackles in a 38-22 win over SUNY Cortland on Saturday to advance to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Championships.
>> Eli Biondine, Saint Louis ’12: The Linfield (Ore.) senior linebacker made five tackles, with one for a loss, against SUNY Cortland.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
>> Lanakai Apele, KS-Hawaii ’12: The Cal Lutheran guard had 10 points, four assists, three rebounds and a steal off the bench in a 65-61 win over UC Santa Cruz on Sunday.
>> Justin Kam, Punahou ’15: The Cal Lutheran freshman had five points, a steal and a rebound as a starter in the win over UC Santa Cruz.
>> Ikaika Phillip, ‘Iolani ’14: The Grinnell College sophomore guard had nine points, a rebound and an assist in a 118-115 loss to Beloit on Saturday.
>> Dylan King, Seabury Hall ’11: The Regis (Col.) senior had six points and two assists in an 80-62 loss to Pittsburg State on Friday.
>> Shane Jacob, Seabury Hall ’12: The Pacific Lutheran senior guard had three points, three rebounds and two assists in a 79-70 win over Trinity (Tex.) on Saturday.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
>> Dawnyelle Awa, Konawaena ’12: The Washington State point guard had 11 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals in a 95-80 win over San Jose State last Friday.
>> Alex Masaquel, ‘Iolani ’13: The William & Mary junior had 10 points, four rebounds and two steals in a 62-51 win over American University on Nov. 25.
>> Hailey Ann Maeda, Punahou ’11: The Whitman (Wash.) senior forward scored the first six points of a 16-0 fourth-quarter run and finished with 13 points, five rebounds, an assist and a steal in a 62-47 win over Warner Pacific on Nov. 25.
>> Casey Poe, KS-Hawaii ’14: The Whitman (Wash.) sophomore had a team-high 14 points on 6-for-9 shooting, with six assists, five rebounds, a block and a steal against Warner Pacific.
>> Maegen Martin, Maryknoll ’15: The Whitman (Wash.) forward had six points, two rebounds and an assist against Warner Pacific.
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
>> Rachel Ringor, Roosevelt ’12: The Long Island Post senior was named the East Coast Conference libero of the year for the second time in three years on Nov. 20. Ringor averaged 4.07 digs per set with a team-high 395 total digs and was fourth in the conference with 45 aces.
MEN’S WRESTLING
>> David Terao, Mid-Pacific ’11: The American University senior, ranked eighth nationally at 125 pounds, finished 5-0 to win in the Wolfpack Open on Nov. 22. Terao won two matches by fall and two others by technical fall. His closest match was a 13-4 majority decision in the final.
Compiled by the Star-Advertiser’s Billy Hull. To submit an athlete for publication, email bhull@staradvertiser.com.
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