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California State University,
San Bernardino's
Brianna Harris Named AVCA Division II Player of the Year
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) is
pleased to announce California State University, San Bernardino senior outside
hitter Brianna Harris as its 2004 AVCA Division II National Player of the Year.
 Harris, from Victorville, Calif., has sparked the Coyotes to a 27-3 overall
record and spot in this weekend's NCAA Division II Elite Eight Tournament. She
averages 5.31 kills, 2.79 digs and 0.72 blocks per game this season. Harris has
attacked at a .322 clip in her final collegiate season. Harris has contributed
28 double-digit kill matches in 2004, in addition to 10 double-doubles (kills
and digs) in 30 total matches.
"Brianna has taken Cal State San Bernardino to the Elite Eight again after it
lost two impact players in 2003 AVCA Division II National Player of the Year Kim
Morohunfola and AVCA Third-Team All-American Kim Ford," AVCA Division II Awards
Chair and Augustana Head Coach Kim Sudbeck said. "Brianna is an impact player,
someone who has provided Cal State San Bernardino stability as well as strength
on the outside to stay among the top eight in the nation."
CSUSB earned a spot in the national quarterfinals by winning the NCAA Division
II Pacific Region Tournament. Harris turned in an NCAA Division II Tournament
record 45 kills against UC San Diego in the championship match on Nov. 20,
including the final three kills of the match while serving and playing back row.
She took advantage of a Triton defense keying on senior middle blocker Cathleen
Price, who turned in 27 kills herself in the match. Harris averaged 7.5 kills
per game and hit .324 in the three matches of the Pacific Region Tournament.
 "Any system benefits from a player like Brianna," CSUSB Head Coach Kim Cherniss
said. "She has a heart of a lion and has a tremendous work ethic that has
yielded great results this season. She has blended well with her teammates, and
she is the first to show appreciation to her teammates. Brianna feeds well off
her teammates, and vice versa."
Harris sat out the 2003 season after transferring from NCAA Division I
Pepperdine University, where she played two seasons. She earned All-West Coast
Conference honorable mention in 2002. She had 277 kills (3.08 per game) as a
sophomore in 2002 on a team that went 26-7.
The formal presentation of the award to the 2004 AVCA National Players of the
Year will be made Dec. 17 in Long Beach, Calif., at the AVCA All-America/Players
of the Year banquet. The banquet, which takes place at the Long Beach Westin
Hotel, is held in conjunction with the 2004 AVCA Annual Convention and NCAA
Division I Women's Volleyball National Championship.
AVCA Division II National Players of the Year
2004: Brianna Harris, California State University, San Bernardino
2003: Kim Morohunfola, California State University, San Bernardino
2002: Erin Deffenbaugh, Northern Colorado
2001: Shauna Sturm, South Dakota State
2000: Kari Peterson, Augustana (S.D.)
1999: Sarah Butler, West Texas A&M
1998: Melinda Almazan, Regis
1997: Sarah Butler, West Texas A&M
1996: Liu Jun, Northern Michigan
1995: Liu Jun, Northern Michigan
1994: Christy Wieneke, Cal State Bakersfield
1993: Stacey Metro, Northern Michigan
1992: Stacey Metro, Northern Michigan
1991: Ana Cristina Pereira, West Texas A&M
1990: Becky Belland, Central Missouri State
1989: Sheri Benson, UC Riverside
1988: Janet Cobbs, North Dakota State
1987: Angela Brinton, Cal State-Northridge
1986: Annie Kniss, UC Riverside
1985: Lynda Johnson, Portland State
(photos courtesy of Robert Whitehead/CSUSB Photo)
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