Photo by: Josh Armstrong
Air Force Pair Honored by Mountain West
11/26/2018 1:41:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Elizabeth Pennington earned all-MW status, while Abigail Miksch was named Honorable Mention.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Air Force seniors Elizabeth Pennington and Abigail Miksch were honored by the Mountain West coaches this afternoon (Nov. 26) for their performances during the 2018 conference season. Pennington was named to the 18-members named to the all-Mountain West team, while Miksch collected honorable mention accolades.
Pennington became the fifth Air Force player to earn all-MW distinction, joining former Falcons Summer Koons (1999), Delavane Diaz (2003), Akokwe Clement (2014, 2015) and Piper Heineck (2017), while Miksch joined Taylor Parker (2014) and Shelley Spires (2015) on the conference's honorable mention list.
After missing all of last year's conference season with an injury, Pennington shined during her senior year. The Texas native was ranked among the MW leaders in aces (0.34, sixth), points (3.66, ninth) and kills (3.02, 10th) during conference action. Pennington hit .245 during league play, tallying 193 kills, 22 service aces, 52 digs and 37 blocks. Highlighted by a 20-kill performance against San Jose State, Pennington led the team in kills during six MW matches and posted team-high marks in hitting during five contests.
Miksch, who became just Air Force's fifth DI player to register 400 kills in a season (402), finished the MW campaign ranked eighth in the conference with a 3.21 kills-per-set average. Another Texas native, Miksch finished the MW season with 234 kills, six aces, 83 digs and 36 blocks. Backed by a career-best 26-kill outing at Boise State, Miksch led the team in kills during 10 of 18 conference matches. She also paced the squad in hitting three times, while notching a team-high 20-dig performance against San Jose State.
The pair helped Air Force match its DI record for conference wins (7), while the 17 total victories this year equaled the most in a season since the Academy joined the Division I level at the start of the 1996 season.
MOUNTAIN WEST AWARD WINNERS
Player of the Year: Katie Oleksak (Colorado State), Newcomer of the Year: Morgan Hughes (Boise State), Freshman of the Year: Jessica Donahue (Boise State), Coach of the Year: Tom Hilbert (Colorado State)
All-Conference: Elizabeth Pennington (Air Force), Morgan Hughes (Boise State), Sabryn Roberts (Boise State), Janell Walley (Boise State), Kirstie Hillyer (Colorado State), Paulina Hougaard-Jensen (Colorado State), Katie Oleksak (Colorado State), Breana Runnels (Colorado State), Madelyn Halteman (Fresno State), Taylor Slover (Fresno State), Haile Watson (Fresno State), Lauren Twitty (New Mexico), Deja Harris (San Diego State), Luiza Andrade (San Jose State), Latahevai Lousi (San Jose State), Mariena Hayden (UNLV), Reed Copeland (Wyoming), Jackie McBride (Wyoming)
Honorable Mention: Abigail Miksch (Air Force), Reagan Leonard (Fresno State), Kayla Afoa (Nevada), Thaliana Grajeda (San Jose State), Kate Brennan (UNLV), Kassidy Johnson (Utah State)
Pennington became the fifth Air Force player to earn all-MW distinction, joining former Falcons Summer Koons (1999), Delavane Diaz (2003), Akokwe Clement (2014, 2015) and Piper Heineck (2017), while Miksch joined Taylor Parker (2014) and Shelley Spires (2015) on the conference's honorable mention list.
After missing all of last year's conference season with an injury, Pennington shined during her senior year. The Texas native was ranked among the MW leaders in aces (0.34, sixth), points (3.66, ninth) and kills (3.02, 10th) during conference action. Pennington hit .245 during league play, tallying 193 kills, 22 service aces, 52 digs and 37 blocks. Highlighted by a 20-kill performance against San Jose State, Pennington led the team in kills during six MW matches and posted team-high marks in hitting during five contests.
Miksch, who became just Air Force's fifth DI player to register 400 kills in a season (402), finished the MW campaign ranked eighth in the conference with a 3.21 kills-per-set average. Another Texas native, Miksch finished the MW season with 234 kills, six aces, 83 digs and 36 blocks. Backed by a career-best 26-kill outing at Boise State, Miksch led the team in kills during 10 of 18 conference matches. She also paced the squad in hitting three times, while notching a team-high 20-dig performance against San Jose State.
The pair helped Air Force match its DI record for conference wins (7), while the 17 total victories this year equaled the most in a season since the Academy joined the Division I level at the start of the 1996 season.
MOUNTAIN WEST AWARD WINNERS
Player of the Year: Katie Oleksak (Colorado State), Newcomer of the Year: Morgan Hughes (Boise State), Freshman of the Year: Jessica Donahue (Boise State), Coach of the Year: Tom Hilbert (Colorado State)
All-Conference: Elizabeth Pennington (Air Force), Morgan Hughes (Boise State), Sabryn Roberts (Boise State), Janell Walley (Boise State), Kirstie Hillyer (Colorado State), Paulina Hougaard-Jensen (Colorado State), Katie Oleksak (Colorado State), Breana Runnels (Colorado State), Madelyn Halteman (Fresno State), Taylor Slover (Fresno State), Haile Watson (Fresno State), Lauren Twitty (New Mexico), Deja Harris (San Diego State), Luiza Andrade (San Jose State), Latahevai Lousi (San Jose State), Mariena Hayden (UNLV), Reed Copeland (Wyoming), Jackie McBride (Wyoming)
Honorable Mention: Abigail Miksch (Air Force), Reagan Leonard (Fresno State), Kayla Afoa (Nevada), Thaliana Grajeda (San Jose State), Kate Brennan (UNLV), Kassidy Johnson (Utah State)
Players Mentioned
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