Post Season Awards

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Fisher - ACC Coach of the Year
Babcock - ACC Player of the Year
Fairbanks - 1st team all ACC
Stafford - 1st team all ACC
Kelley - 1st team all ACC
Vazquez Gomez - 2nd team all ACC
Klika - 2nd team all ACC
Jones - all Freshman team

 

[HOF Coach]

"Hang it in the Louvre"

 

[Thee Jackie Treehorn]

Congratulations to the award winners.

(And Rachel Fairbanks should have been Setter of the Year.)

 

[HOF Coach]

Congratulations to the award winners.

(And Rachel Fairbanks should have been Setter of the Year.)

Be patient...Rachel is going to earn the AVCA Division 1 National Player of the Year Award...

 

[RightSaidTed]

Be patient...Rachel is going to earn the AVCA Division 1 National Player of the Year Award...

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I don’t think so. I think Babcock is Pitt’s best shot and has a great chance of winning.

I do think Rachel was robbed for Setter of the Year though. I obviously didn’t watch Stanford all year, but Rachel about played Miner by a lot when we played them. I think on some level there is a spreading of the wealth going on.

 

[Thee Jackie Treehorn]

I think on some level there is a spreading of the wealth going on.

I tend to agree.

 

[HOF Coach]

I don’t think so. I think Babcock is Pitt’s best shot and has a great chance of winning.

I do think Rachel was robbed for Setter of the Year though. I obviously didn’t watch Stanford all year, but Rachel about played Miner by a lot when we played them. I think on some level there is a spreading of the wealth going on.

I hear what you are saying and that makes perfect sense.

However...

Last year in the Tournament, Rachel was not 100% healthy.

This year, she is. And I'm expecting the player who Dan Fisher calls, "the most competitive person that I've ever known" to rise up and put on a show in quarterbacking her team to a National Championship.

And just as important, Rachel's younger and immensely talented teammates are on a mission to send her out as the Champion that she is.

It's a perfect storm that is about to be unleashed...

 

[CentPaPittFan]

I don’t think so. I think Babcock is Pitt’s best shot and has a great chance of winning.

I do think Rachel was robbed for Setter of the Year though. I obviously didn’t watch Stanford all year, but Rachel about played Miner by a lot when we played them. I think on some level there is a spreading of the wealth going on.

For sure .. 15 on first team

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I don’t think so. I think Babcock is Pitt’s best shot and has a great chance of winning.

I think the only way that Babcock doesn't win is if Fairbanks splits away enough of the "Pitt vote" that it allows someone else to sneak in.

 

[vantheman1976]

I don’t think so. I think Babcock is Pitt’s best shot and has a great chance of winning.

I do think Rachel was robbed for Setter of the Year though. I obviously didn’t watch Stanford all year, but Rachel about played Miner by a lot when we played them. I think on some level there is a spreading of the wealth going on.

Babcock will win NPOY unless she completely flames out in the tournament. Regarding Fairbanks she is 1 of 5 setters who are semi finalists for NPOY. In the ACC....Fairbanks and Miner...are in a class by themselves.....and are 2 of the 5 setters who are semi finalists. Who is best....hard to say. Based on statistics....Miner wins ACC setter of the year. She beats out Fairbanks in 5 of 7 statistical categories....digs/set, kills/set, assists/set, blocks/set, and points/set. Fairbanks wins on aces/set and hitting %. Miner also won setter of the week in the ACC 5 times....Fairbanks 2 times. Having said all that...who would I pick as my setter....Fairbanks without a doubt. She is the quarterback of the team and led Pitt to a #1 ranking and #1 seed. Miner did not. Finally.....and I believe this was a huge factor......the ACC decided to spread the awards more evenly among the leading teams....2 awards to Pitt, 2 awards to Louisville, and 1 award to Stanford.

 

[HOF Coach]

Babcock will win NPOY unless she completely flames out in the tournament. Regarding Fairbanks she is 1 of 5 setters who are semi finalists for NPOY. In the ACC....Fairbanks and Miner...are in a class by themselves.....and are 2 of the 5 setters who are semi finalists. Who is best....hard to say. Based on statistics....Miner wins ACC setter of the year. She beats out Fairbanks in 5 of 7 statistical categories....digs/set, kills/set, assists/set, blocks/set, and points/set. Fairbanks wins on aces/set and hitting %. Miner also won setter of the week in the ACC 5 times....Fairbanks 2 times. Having said all that...who would I pick as my setter....Fairbanks without a doubt. She is the quarterback of the team and led Pitt to a #1 ranking and #1 seed. Miner did not. Finally.....and I believe this was a huge factor......the ACC decided to spread the awards more evenly among the leading teams....2 awards to Pitt, 2 awards to Louisville, and 1 award to Stanford.

When does the final vote take place? After the Tournament?

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

When does the final vote take place? After the Tournament?

I think it's after the Elite 8 and before the Final Four, because they announce the winner during Final Four weekend.

 

[HOF Coach]

I think it's after the Elite 8 and before the Final Four, because they announce the winner during Final Four weekend.

Thanks. That's what I had just remembered, which is why I asked.

Therefore, I concur that Liv is a more likely choice.

I was envisioning a "Roberto Clemente 1971 World Series" breakout performance for Rachel in the National Semifinals and Finals.

However, it would be too late to effect the NPOY voting.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Be patient...Rachel is going to earn the AVCA Division 1 National Player of the Year Award...

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Yeah when I posted that tweet last week, I said that I hoped she’d win it. When two of the players you are setting to are also on the list, how could anyone be more deserving than Rachel? But that’s just me in my DNA. When I played ball, I took pride in my defense and gravitated to defensive players. And I only played VBall recreationally in YMCA Leagues and beaches, but setting and defense were two things I enjoyed most. That’s why Fairbanks and Elena Scott are two players I appreciate most.

But then again, someone can point out Brock Purdy last year and say that he had better players and superstars around him and that’s the only reason he was an MVP candidate. Fairbanks is much better at her job than Purdy at his…but it’s a legit point.

If John Stockton was assisting to Michael Jordan for a season….pretty sure Jordan is getting the MVP.

 

[RightSaidTed]

It is fun to debate who is more deserving, and I get the argument for Rachel. But in terms of what will happen, you can't ignore the objective evidence of how they have been recognized throughout the year. Olivia has won National Player of the Week twice and was ACC Player of the Year. The narrative in favor of her winning has been established. If Pitt wins the national championship it will be because both Olivia and Rachel played great, so that isn't going to change that narrative. I also don't know when the final vote takes place or when these awards are announced.

 

[pittdan77]

Last year in the Tournament, Rachel was not 100% healthy.

She had some bad games as the season wore down last year. They won a couple in spite of her performance. I think that is one of the biggest reasons Fish has worked other setters into the rotation and played some 6-2. Have to be ready for anything.

 

[singregardless]

When does the final vote take place? After the Tournament?

All-Americans are announced Wednesday the 18th. National Player of the year is announced Friday the 20th.

Page 2 has all the relevant dates.