Originally published Tuesday, November 28, 2006 at 12:00 AM

Pac-10 Volleyball | Morrison earns player of year

Washington's Christal Morrison was selected the Pac-10 volleyball player of the year Monday, and three other Huskies joined her on the all-conference...

By Seattle Times staff

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ROD MAR / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Washington junior Christal Morrison was chosen to the Pac-10 first team for the third consecutive season.

Washington's Christal Morrison was selected the Pac-10 volleyball player of the year Monday, and three other Huskies joined her on the all-conference first team.

Morrison, a junior outside hitter, was named to the team for the third year in a row. She is the second straight Husky to be named player of the year, following Sanja Tomasevic, who led the Huskies to the NCAA title last season.

Other Huskies named to the Pac-10 first team were senior setter Courtney Thompson, junior middle blocker Alesha Deesing and sophomore middle blocker Jessica Swarbrick.

Freshman libero Tamari Miyashiro was an honorable-mention pick, and was named to the all-freshman team.

Senior outside hitter Janine Sandell was also named honorable mention.

Morrison ranked second in the Pac-10 in points (5.51 per game) and kills (4.8 per game) and ninth in service aces (.28 per game).

She was Pac-10 player of the week three times.

Thompson led the nation with 14.92 assists per game. She set the Pac-10 career assists record this season, and her 6,333 career assists rank ninth all-time in the NCAA.

Thompson is a two-time first-team All-American, and was the NCAA player of the year last season.

Deesing is a two-time all-Pac-10 selection, is second for the Huskies in hitting percentage (.380) and in blocks per game (1.09). She has had 15 double-digit kill performances, including 18 kills vs. UCLA.

Swarbrick, named to the team for the first time, leads the Huskies with a .406 hitting percentage. She has started all 29 matches for the Huskies this season and has 11 double-figure kill performances.

The Huskies, who finished second in the Pac-10 (15-3 in conference matches, 25-4 overall), will begin play in the NCAA tournament Thursday in Boulder, Colo., against Colorado State.

Oregon's Jim Moore was named coach of the year, and USC setter Taylor Carico was freshman of the year.

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