Exner Named Big Sky’S Most Valuable Player

Kim Exner of Eastern Washington University has again been named the Big Sky Conference’s most valuable player in volleyball, the league announced Tuesday.

Exner, a 6-foot-1 middle blocker from Vernon, British Columbia, led the conference in both kills (5.35 per game) and hitting percentage (.391). She holds the all-time Big Sky record for career kills with 1,813. Exner, a three-time, first-team All-Big Sky selection, was a unanimous choice for the MVP award.

Prior to last weekend’s matches at Montana and Montana State, Exner’s kills per game ranked her fourth in the country.

She received national attention in September when she was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association player of the week.

It was Exner’s second straight conference MVP award. However, last season, she shared the honor with Northern Arizona University’s Jenny Treglown.

Eagles setter Kim Maxwell, a junior from Calgary, Alberta, was selected to the All-Big Sky second-team. Maxwell averaged 12.98 sets per match. Teammates Lacey Coover and Whitney Lewis received honorable mention.

The Eagles (23-4), second in the final regular-season standings, travel to Sacramento State to play the winner of the Weber State/Montana State match Friday in the semifinals of the Big Sky Conference tournament.

The Pacific-10 Conference and the West Coast Conference also announced their award winners.

Washington State’s Wendy Rouse, a senior middle blocker, was selected for Pac-10 honorable mention. The Cougars (11-13) play South Carolina and No. 5 Florida this weekend in Orlando, Fla.

Gonzaga’s Heather Osberg, a sophomore middle blocker, was named to the WCC second team. Teammate Nicole Lamoure gained honorable mention. The Bulldogs finished 8-22.