Rice University Athletics
Pazo Leads Three Owls With AVCA All-Region Honors
12/7/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Dec. 7, 2005
HOUSTON - Senior Olaya Pazo was named to the 2005 American Volleyball Coaches Association all-region team for the midwest region, while senior Kristina Hoban and junior Tessa Kuykendall received honorable mention, the AVCA announced Wednesday.
Pazo is the first Owl to receive AVCA all-region honors since Sammy Waldron earned all-region and all-America honors in 1995. Last year, Rebeca Pazo received honorable mention with Rice competing in the west region.
Olaya Pazo was a first team all-Conference USA selection as an outside hitter. She recorded double-digit kills in 26 of 28 matches in 2005, including all league matches, and scored more than 20 kills on 11 occasions as she led the Owls in kills 21 times. Her team-leading 499 kills rank as the fifth-best single season at Rice and her 364 digs are 10th best. Pazo was a two-time C-USA player of the week and ranked fourth in C-USA in kills. She started 27 matches for the Owls, playing in 108 games. Additionally, Pazo averaged 4.51 kpg and 3.70 dpg against regional opponents and ranks in the top 30 nationally in kills.
Hoban started all 29 matches and played every game for the Owls at setter. Over the course of the season, she recorded five triple doubles against C-USA opponents, including a 10 kill, 52 assist, 12 dig performance in a four-game victory against Houston. She posted a total of 17 double doubles and reached double-figure kills in seven matches. Hoban was a three-time C-USA setter of the week and ranked fifth in the league in conference hitting percentage, eighth in assists and ninth in service aces. Her 1,319 assists rank as the seventh-best single season at Rice while she is second in all-time assists with 4,049.
The Owls' leading middle blocker, Kuykendall was a third-team all-C-USA selection as she started all 29 matches and played every game for the Owls. She posted double-digit kills in 22 matches and had a season-high 12 blocks along with 14 kills against Houston for a double double. Kuykendall led Rice with 137 blocks and was second with 364 kills while ranking third in league matches in blocks and eighth in hitting percentage. Her 114 block assists tied for fifth among Rice's best seasons, and she ranks in the Rice top five for career solo blocks (78), block assists (321) and total blocks (399).
Rice finished the 2005 campaign with a 17-12 record. Kuykendall will lead eight returning letterwinners as the Owls' lone senior in 2006.
