SPU Falcons Win Big Honors in GNAC

SEATTLE – Sarah Risser has done it again. So has coach Chris Johnson. And so too has a Seattle Pacific volleyball freshman.


Sarah RisserSenior outside hitter Risser has been named to the All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference first-team volleyball all-stars for the second year in a row. She was one of three SPU players to earn first-team honors, joined by junior outside hitter Lindsey Wodrich and freshman middle blocker Nikki Lowell.
But Lowell didn’t stop there, she was named the GNAC’s Freshman of the Year. That is the third time in the past four seasons a Falcon has claimed that honor. Current senior setter Joelle Perez won it in 2007, and current junior libero Anna Herold claimed it in 2008.

Chris JohnsonJohnson, who took a team pegged for third place in the preseason coaches poll all the way to a share of the conference championship, was named co-Coach of the Year, along with Western Washington’s Diane Flick. Western, the preseason conference favorite, tied SPU for third place. Johnson’s award was his third. He is now in his sixth year at the Falcons' helm.

Seattle Pacific also had three players chosen for the second team: Herold, junior opposite Paige Hoffman, and sophomore setter Shelby Swanson.  -Read More