CSUN University News Clippings

Volleyball player Eric Vance named All-American

(May 5, 2009)

Brothers Kawika and Erik Shoji of Stanford were named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division I-II Men’s All-America first team yesterday. Erik Shoji also was named newcomer of the year.

The sons of University of Hawai’i women’s volleyball coach Dave Shoji were part of the 10-member first team. Kawika Shoji is a 6-3 junior setter while Erik Shoji is a 6-0 freshman libero/defensive specialist.

Voting was by a nine-member national panel of men’s volleyball coaches.

Also named to the first team were Ryan Ammerman of UC Irvine, Dean Bittner of Long Beach State, Paul Carroll of Pepperdine, Troy Murphy of USC, Eric Vance of Cal State Northridge and Max Holt, Max Lipsitz and Will Price of Penn State.

The national player of the year will be announced tomorrow.

An All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation first-team honoree, Kawika Shoji, an ‘Iolani alum, ranked among the national elite in assists per set, while also guiding Stanford to one of the nation’s best team hitting percentages. He was a second-team All-American in 2008.

Erik Shoji, a Punahou alum, led the nation in digs per set, en route to earning All-MPSF second-team and All-MPSF freshman team laurels.

Named to the All-America second team were Tony Ciarelli of USC, Carson Clark, Jordan DuFault and Kevin Wynne of UC Irvine, Dennis Del Valle and Edgardo Goas of Penn State, Drew Pickering of Lewis, Jacek Ratajczak of Cal State Northridge, Jordan Varee of Saint Francis and Dustin Watten of Long Beach State.

Publication: Honolulu Advertiser