COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Mountain West announced its 2023 Volleyball All-Conference team and individual accolades on Wednesday as voted on by the league’s 11 head coaches.

Boise State junior Paige Bartsch and UNLV senior Isabel Martin were named Co-Players of the Year, Colorado State junior Emery Herman garnered Newcomer of the Year honors and Fresno State rookie Dionii Fraga was tabbed the Freshman of the Year. Utah State head coach Rob Neilson was selected as the Coach of the Year after leading the Aggies to a 17-1 record in Conference play, a regular-season title and the No. 1 Seed to the league tournament.

NOTABLES

  • Colorado State, Fresno State and Utah State led league with three All-Conference honorees each.
  • Colorado State has had at least three student-athletes on the All-Mountain West team every season since 2009.
  • UNLV’s Isabel Martin garnered the Player of the Year award for the second year in a row as a Co-Player of the Year with Boise State’s Paige Bartsch.

 

CO-PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

PAIGE BARTSCH, BOISE STATE

Junior, Opposite, Helena, Montana/Capital HS

  • First Bronco to garner the Player of the Year honor since 2016.
  • Averaged 5.14 kills per set in league play.
  • Logged 339 kills, 42 blocks, 25 service aces and 388 points for the Broncos in Mountain West action.
  • Earned three Mountain West weekly honors for Offensive Player of the Week (Aug. 28, Sept. 25 and Nov. 20).

 

ISABEL MARTIN, UNLV

Senior, Outside, Mauerstetten, Bavaria, Germany/Hillsborough CC

  • Led UNLV to an 11-7 league record.
  • Averaged 4.28 kills per set.
  • Tallied 295 kills, 41 blocks, 18 service aces and 338.5 points for the Rebels during their MW slate.
  • Earned two Mountain West weekly honors for Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 18 and Nov. 13).

 

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

EMERY HERMAN, COLORADO STATE

Senior, Setter, Georgetown, Texas/Arizona

  • Helped the Rams to a 12-6 record in MW play.
  • Averaged 10.77 assists per set during Conference play.
  • Totaled 754 assists, 47 kills, 31 service aces and 31 blocks for Colorado State.

 

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

DIONII FRAGA, FRESNO STATE

Libero, Sanger, California/Sanger HS

  • Helped the Bulldogs to a 10-8 MW season with.
  • Averaged 4.25 digs per set in Mountain West play.
  • Totaled 302 digs, 346 service receptions, 56 assists and 15 service aces.
  • Earned one Mountain West weekly honor for Freshman of the Week (Oct. 23).

 

COACH OF THE YEAR

ROB NEILSON, UTAH STATE

  • Led the Aggies to a 17-1 league record.
  • Coached Utah State to a regular-season MW title.
  • Named MW Coach of the Year for the second time in four years.

 

ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

Joi Harvey, Sr., MB, Air Force

Paige Bartsch, Jr., OPP, Boise State

Annie Kaminski, Sr., MB, Boise State

Emery Herman, Sr., S, Colorado State

Malaya Jones, Jr., MB, Colorado State

Naeemah Weathers, Sr., MB, Colorado State

Dionii Fraga, Fr., L, Fresno State

Addison Haluska, So., MB, Fresno State

Ella Rud, Jr., OH, Fresno State

Uxue Guereca, Sr., OH, New Mexico

Kaitlynn Biassou, Sr., OH, New Mexico

Taylor Underwood, So., OPP/OH San Diego State

Isabel Martin, Sr., OH, UNLV

Shelby Capllonch, Gr., OH, Utah State

Adna Mehmedovic, Jr., OH, Utah State

Tatum Stall, Sr., OH, Utah State

Tierney Barlow, So., MB, Wyoming

Kasia Partyka, Jr., S, Wyoming

 

HONORABLE MENTION

Caroline Reinkensmeyer, Sr., S, Air Force

Mac Russ, Jr., MB, Air Force

Kennedy Stanford, Sr., OH, Colorado State

Brooke Slusser, Jr., S, San José State

Gabrielle Arretche-Ramos, Sr., OPP/OH UNLV

Jordyn Freeman, Sr., MB, UNLV

Kambree Rodriguez, Fr., L, Utah State

Rylee Schulz, So., OH, Wyoming