Area roundup: Whitworth’s Rocha voted tops in NWC
Whitworth University junior Kaimi Rocha, who led the conference with 3.98 kills per set while hitting .232 and averaging 3.43 digs, was named the Northwest Conference volleyball player of the year Monday.
League coaches also selected Steve Rupe the coach of the year for the third time in his 12 years at Whitworth after he directed the Pirates to their first NWC title since 2005, but fourth since 2001.
Rocha was a first-team All-NWC selection for the second time – she was also honored as a freshman – and teammates Amanda Grumbach (junior, Curlew), Bree Riddle (junior, Freeman) and Whitney Santos (freshman) were named to the second team. Junior Ka’ipo Rocha was honorable mention.
• The 17-6 Pirates, who have won 14 of their last 15 matches, will face 17th-ranked Concordia-Moorhead, Minn., (24-6) in the first round of an NCAA Division III regional Friday in St. Paul, Minn.
Whitworth is in the tournament for the fourth time, but first since 2005. Puget Sound is also in the eight-team field.
• Idaho freshman Allison Walker (Othello) is the Western Athletic Conference player of the week after amassing 49 kills, 15 digs and eight blocks in a pair of five-set wins.
Women’s soccer
Washington (11-8-1) will face Oklahoma (12-7-3) in the first round of an NCAA tournament regional Friday in Portland. No. 1 seed Portland plays Texas-San Antonio in the other match.