Troy Named MPSF Player of the Year

4/22/2011 12:00:00 AM

April 22, 2011

2011 MPSF Player of the Year
MURPHY TROY - #11 - SENIOR - OPPOSITE - USC
Opposite hitter Murphy Troy is having a stellar 2011 senior season, leading USC in kills (309) and aces (33) and is fourth in digs (121) and blocks (57). He ranks third in the MPSF in both points (4.89) and aces (0.43, seventh nationally) and seventh in kills (4.01, 13th nationally), while his .364 hitting percentage is 10th nationally. This season, he was named AVCA National Player of the Week once (Jan. 24) and 3 times was MPSF Player of the Week (Jan. 24, Jan. 31, March 7). In an early-season win at UC Irvine, he became a YouTube sensation when he made a match-turning save: after USC had come back from a 5-point deficit late in the second set and with the score tied 24-24, he made an unbelievable kick save on a ball that allowed USC to get to set point.

2011 MPSF Freshman of the Year
TAYLOR SANDER - #15 - FRESHMAN - OUTSIDE HITTER - BYU
In his first season, Taylor Sander has earned a starting spot in 22 of BYU's 25 matches this season while totaling 326 kills, a team-leading 40 service aces, 115 digs, 65 blocks and a .348 attacking percentage. Sander was named MPSF Player of the Week on Jan. 10, after his first collegiate weekend and the team's first week of action in 2011. He has recorded double-digit kills in 19 of the 25 matches this season with his first career double-double coming on April 9 against Pepperdine on 19 kills and 10 digs. He's currently ranked second in the MPSF and fifth in the NCAA in aces per set (0.45 A/S), 12th in NCAA season hitting percentage (.348), and 22nd in NCAA kills per set (3.66 K/S).

2011 MPSF Coach of the Year
BILL FERGUSON - FIFTH YEAR - HEAD COACH - USC
Fifth-year USC head coach Bill Ferguson has led the Trojans to a number of superlatives in 2011. He has guided them to their first MPSF regular season title since 2000 (and first outright since 1991), their most MPSF victories (20) since 1986 and their best overall record (21-2) since 1991. USC has been the nation's No. 1 ranked team all season. Along the way, the Trojans won 12 consecutive matches (its longest winning streak since 1990-91) and 11 straight MPSF matches (its longest streak since 1991-92), as well as their last 15 home matches (their most since 1999-2001). Thirteen of USC's wins in 2011 have been 3-0 sweeps (losing just 17 sets all year). USC is making its fifth consecutive MPSF Tournament appearance, its longest stretch since 1989-95.

All-MPSF First Team
Murphy Troy, USC
Jonas Umlauft, Hawaii
Cory Yoder, UC Irvine
Brad Lawson, Stanford
Taylor Sander, BYU
Carson Clark, UC Irvine
Futi Tavana, BYU
Jeff Menzel, UC Santa Barbara
Robb Stowell, BYU
Riley McKibbin, USC
Antwain Aguillard, Long Beach State
Tony Ciarelli, USC

All-MPSF Second Team
Scott Slaughter, UC Santa Barbara
Erik Shoji, Stanford
Josh Walker, Hawaii
Spencer McLachlin, Stanford
Weston Dunlap, UCLA
Phil Bannan, UC San Diego
Andy McGuire, UC Santa Barbara
Nejc Zemljak, Hawaii
Steven Shandrick, USC
Tri Bourne, USC
Jordan DuFault, UC Irvine
Gonzalo Quiroga, UCLA

All-MPSF Honorable Mention
Vince Devany, UC Santa Barbara
Taylor Hughes, Pacific
Austin Zahn, USC
Joe Kauliakamoa, BYU
Taylor Crabb, Long Beach State
Kirk Francis, Long Beach State
Thomas Amberg, UCLA
Henry Cassiday, USC
Javier Caceres, Pacific

All-MPSF Freshman Team
Taylor Sander, BYU
Gonzalo Quiroga, UCLA
Taylor Crabb, Long Beach State
Eric Mochalski, Stanford
Henry Cassiday, USC
Scott Kevorken, UC Irvine
Greg Faulkner, CS Northridge