LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – Just one day after being named the Mountain West's Player of the Year, UNLV volleyball's
Mariena Hayden was tabbed to the American Volleyball Coaches Association's Spring 2021 Pacific South All-Region Team.
Hayden's selection makes her the fourth Rebel in program history to be recognized by the AVCA – a total of six times, but only the second to claim All-Region Team status. In 2007, Lauren Miramontes was chosen to the All-West Region Team; however, she was All-West Region Honorable Mention two years earlier in 2005. Camille Cunningham (2008) and Bree Hammel (2014 and 2016) were also All-Pacific South Honorable Mention.
Coincidentally, Hayden (2018-Spring 2021), Miramontes (2005-07) and Hammel (2014-16) are the last three Rebels – four in all – to be chosen to three straight All-MW Teams, and each has guided their respective squads to an NCAA Volleyball Championship appearance (2007, 2016 and 2020).
The senior outside hitter from Belle Plaine, Minnesota, has led the Rebels to the 2020 NCAA Volleyball Championship behind a perfect 12-0 record. UNLV is just one of six programs to finish the season undefeated, while the 12 wins not only marks the best start to a season, but it also ties the longest win streak in program history.
Hayden, who was a three-time MW Offensive Player of the Week this season, finished the regular season ranked first in the NCAA in aces per set (0.95) and was also third in service aces (40) and seventh in both points per set (5.38) and triple doubles (one). She led the MW in aces, aces per set and points per set as well as kills per set (4.14), and was sixth in hitting percentage (.349).
She collected seven double-doubles with one of those turning into a triple-double against Boise State (Feb. 27), off a combination of 16 kills, 13 digs and 10 aces. She had 10 double-figure kill matches, which included a career-high 27 vs. Boise State (Feb. 26). She also notched nine matches with a .300 or better hitting efficiency, with a .524 effort (14-3-21) in the regular-season finale vs. Wyoming (April 1). She had at least one ace in 10 matches and four or more in six of those contests. Defensively, she had eight or more digs in 11 outings and reached double digits seven times, while she also chipped in 21.0 total blocks.
Statistically speaking, UNLV led the MW in hitting percentage (.306), assists per set (12.96), kills per set (14.31), aces per set (2.05) and digs per set (14.88). Both the .306 hitting percentage and 2.05 aces per set rank sixth nationally, and the 14.31 kills per set sits 12th.
MOUNTAIN WEST WINNERS: UNLV was well represented on the Spring 2021 All-MW Team, in addition to Hayden's MW's Player of the Year nod. Head coach
Dawn Sullivan was named the MW's Coach of the Year, while middle blockers
Kate Brennan and
Macy Smith joined Hayden on the All-Conference Team. Outside hitter
Shelby Capllonch was an Honorable Mention selection, too.
REBEL NOTES:
-UNLV won the Spring 2021 Mountain West regular-season title and claimed the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, which will take place April 14-24 at the CHI Health Center Omaha in Omaha, Nebraska. UNLV will face the Missouri Valley's Illinois State Redbirds in the first round Wednesday at 4:00 pm PT (6:00 pm CT), with the winner advancing to the second round to face the No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats Thursday.
-UNLV will be making its fifth postseason trip in program history, and third in a row following back-to-back appearances in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship in 2018 and 2019. This year's showing will be the third for the Rebels in the NCAA Tournament, having previously participated in 2007 (0-1) and 2016 (1-1). Overall, UNLV is 5-4 in postseason competition and 1-2 solely in NCAA Tournament play, with a 3-1, upset victory in the 2016 first round over No. 22 Utah.
-UNLV completed the Spring 2021 season with a perfect 12-0 record, rewriting the program's mark for best start to a season, surpassing 2016's 11-mark, and it also tied the longest win streak in program history – 12, which spanned the finale of the 2015 campaign and carried over into 2016.
-Dating back to the 2019 campaign, UNLV has now won 28 of its last 30 matches – the best run through 30 matches in program history.
