Harper receives POY award / College volleyball

Kayleigh Harper, an Oak Harbor High School graduate and volleyball player for Western Washington University, was selected as the Great Northwest Athletic Conference’s player of the year.

Harper was named to the GNAC first team and led the Vikings to their third straight conference championship this season.

Harper is only the third player in conference history to earn all-league, first-team honors four times. She is also a two-time All-American.

The senior middle blocker enters the postseason with a league-leading 1.45 blocks per set, which is second best in the country. She is Western and GNAC’s all-time career block leader with 583, which also tops the list for active NCAA II players.

She is averaging 3.23 kills per set with a league-best .386 hitting percentage.

Western is ranked fourth in the country and finished the regular season with a 26-2 record, including 18-2 in conference play.

The Vikings play the University of Hawaii Hilo Thursday, Dec. 5, in the Western Regional hosted by Cal State San Bernardino.

Kayleigh Harper goes for a kill in a match earlier this month.(Photo by John Fisken)

Kayleigh Harper goes for a kill in a match earlier this month. (Photo by John Fisken)