It’s scary to think what freshman Haleigh Hampton could do if she were available to practice and warmup regularly for the Long Beach State women’s volleyball team.
Despite a nagging foot and knee injury, Hampton joined Caitlin Ledoux and Ashley Lee on the All-Big West Conference First Team announced Tuesday.
Hampton, however, lost out to Cal Poly’s Kristina Graven for Freshman of the Year honors despite the most total blocks (168) and third-best hitting percentage (.354) in the conference. The middle blocker’s 1.58 blocks per set also ranked third in the nation.
Graven, an outside hitter, ranked third in the Big West in kills (3.85) and points (4.34) per set.
Ledoux was named to the first team for the third time in her career. The junior outside hitter collected 3.79 kills per set to finish fourth in the conference.
Lee, a senior setter, was named to the team for the second time her career. Lee, who posted a rare quadruple-double at UC Riverside this season, finished fifth in the Big West with 10.5 assists per set.
Also honored were sophomore outside hitter Janisa Johnson and freshman outside hitter Delainey Aigner-Swesy.
Johnson, who emerged as a starter this season for The Beach, was named an honorable mention selection. She finished second on the 49ers with 3.09 kills and 3.45 digs per set.
Aigner-Swesy, who joined Hampton on the all-freshman team, has played in 23 of the team’s 29 matches, thus far, and posted 106 kills.
Cal State Fullerton, which won the program’s first Big West title and earned its first NCAA tournament bid, took home two of the major awards.
Erin Saddler was named Big West Player of the Year while head coach Carolyn Zimmerman was named Coach of the Year.
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