VB | Strong, Harrer Named to All-WCC Team
11/28/2022 2:00:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
MORAGA, Calif. — The West Coast Conference announced on Monday afternoon the 2022 All-West Coast Conference teams, and Saint Mary's is represented twice on this year's list. Kjersti Strong and Hawley Harrer both have been named Second Team All-WCC for the first time in their careers, capping off stellar years for both.
STRONG FIRST YEAR
Kjersti Strong had some big shoes to fill, taking over the primary middle blocker position that was vacated by Jennifer "Boo" Laird from the past five years. The Snow College transfer was able to fill the void she left just fine, proving to be one of the better middle blockers in the conference in her first year at the NCAA DI level. She led the Gaels with 14 of their 30 solo blocks, and was the team leader with 85 on the year, while also pacing the Gaels with a .291 hitting percentage, finishing inside the top-15 in the WCC in that department. Her breakout game of her first season in Moraga came against Pacific on October 28, where she posted a career-best 14 kills while adding nine blocks in a four-set loss. She then eclipsed that career-best in kills one week later with 15 kills against Loyola Marymount.
CALLING IT A CAREER
Few players finished the season in a stronger way than Hawley Harrer did, and it just so happened to come in the final matches of her collegiate career. Harrer was the best attacker on the Gaels all season long, leading the team with 304 kills and finishing with a career-best .261 hitting percentage. She also saw improved play at the net, where she recorded 55 total blocks, the most in her career. On 18 different occasions during the year, Harrer recorded at least 10 kills in a match, including a 26-kill performance put up during the final home stand of the year. Her 26 kills against Gonzaga on November 17 are tied for the tenth-most in the rally scoring era at Saint Mary's. She won the final WCC Offensive Player of the Week award, in part because of that performance, and closes out her career with one final All-WCC selection (honorable mention in spring of 2021).
SAN DIEGO (NEAR) SWEEP
The second-ranked team in the country, San Diego, nearly swept the major awards in the West Coast Conference. Jennifer Petrie was named the Coach of the Year, while they also had the Setter of the Year (Gabby Blossom), Libero of the Year (Annie Benbow), and Player of the Year (Katie Lukes). All told, 16 players took home First Team All-WCC honors, with six on the Second Team, and 16 more receiving honorable mention nods. Emily Hellmuth of Pepperdine headlined the class of seven freshman on the All-WCC Freshman Team, with Hellmuth being named Freshman of the Year.
STRONG FIRST YEAR
Kjersti Strong had some big shoes to fill, taking over the primary middle blocker position that was vacated by Jennifer "Boo" Laird from the past five years. The Snow College transfer was able to fill the void she left just fine, proving to be one of the better middle blockers in the conference in her first year at the NCAA DI level. She led the Gaels with 14 of their 30 solo blocks, and was the team leader with 85 on the year, while also pacing the Gaels with a .291 hitting percentage, finishing inside the top-15 in the WCC in that department. Her breakout game of her first season in Moraga came against Pacific on October 28, where she posted a career-best 14 kills while adding nine blocks in a four-set loss. She then eclipsed that career-best in kills one week later with 15 kills against Loyola Marymount.
CALLING IT A CAREER
Few players finished the season in a stronger way than Hawley Harrer did, and it just so happened to come in the final matches of her collegiate career. Harrer was the best attacker on the Gaels all season long, leading the team with 304 kills and finishing with a career-best .261 hitting percentage. She also saw improved play at the net, where she recorded 55 total blocks, the most in her career. On 18 different occasions during the year, Harrer recorded at least 10 kills in a match, including a 26-kill performance put up during the final home stand of the year. Her 26 kills against Gonzaga on November 17 are tied for the tenth-most in the rally scoring era at Saint Mary's. She won the final WCC Offensive Player of the Week award, in part because of that performance, and closes out her career with one final All-WCC selection (honorable mention in spring of 2021).
SAN DIEGO (NEAR) SWEEP
The second-ranked team in the country, San Diego, nearly swept the major awards in the West Coast Conference. Jennifer Petrie was named the Coach of the Year, while they also had the Setter of the Year (Gabby Blossom), Libero of the Year (Annie Benbow), and Player of the Year (Katie Lukes). All told, 16 players took home First Team All-WCC honors, with six on the Second Team, and 16 more receiving honorable mention nods. Emily Hellmuth of Pepperdine headlined the class of seven freshman on the All-WCC Freshman Team, with Hellmuth being named Freshman of the Year.
#GaelsRise
Players Mentioned
OPP
/ Women's VolleyballMB
/ Women's VolleyballVB | Highlights at San Francisco, 11-13-25
Thursday, November 13
VB | Tyler Hildebrand Presser, 11-11-25
Tuesday, November 11
VB | Highlights at San Diego, 11-8--25
Saturday, November 08
VB | Highlights vs. Oregon State, 11-6-25
Thursday, November 06
