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JAMM AQUINO/ JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
Hawaii opposite Rado Parapunov (19), one of four seniors playing their final regular-season home game against the UC Irvine Anteaters, yelled while taking to the court on April 17 at Stan Sheriff Center. Parapunov was named the Big West men’s volleyball Player of the Year today, claiming the award for the second straight season.
Hawaii senior Rado Parapunov was named the Big West men’s volleyball Player of the Year today, claiming the award for the second straight season.
Parapunov helped the top-ranked Rainbow Warriors (15-1) go undefeated in the regular season and earn the No. 1 seed in next week’s NCAA championship tournament. He is the first UH player to win conference player of the year honors in two consecutive seasons and the second Warrior to earn multiple awards in his career, joining Costas Theocharidis (2001 and ’03 in the MPSF).
The 6-foot-9 opposite from Bulgaria leads the Big West with 4.41 kills per set with a .340 hitting percentage. He also ranks fifth in blocks per set (0.90), sixth in aces per set (0.32) and 12th in digs per set (1.56). He has reached double figures in kills in 22 consecutive matches dating back to last season.
He was named to the All-Big West first team for the third time in his UH career last week and earned the conference’s Player of the Week award five times this season and a record 15 times in his career. He was also named the AVCA National Player of the Week three times this season.
The Warriors will next play in the semifinals of the NCAA championship against No. 3 UC Santa Barbara or No. 5 Pepperdine on May 6 in Columbus, Ohio.
Long Beach State outside hitter Clarke Godbold was named the Big West Freshman of the Year. The conference’s Coach of the Year award went to UC Santa Barbara’s Rick McLaughlin for the second straight year after he led the Gauchos to their first Big West tournament title last week.
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