COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – San Diego State volleyball senior middle blocker Deja Harris was named an All-Mountain West selection for the fourth time in her career, the league office announced Monday afternoon. Harris is the first four-time all-MW selection in Aztec history and the fifth in conference history.
Harris, the lone senior on the 2018 SDSU roster, led the Aztecs both offensively and defensively throughout the season. Harris finished the season leading SDSU in kills per set (3.01), hitting percentage (.322), sets played (125) and blocks per set (1.38). Among conference leaders, Harris finished sixth in the conference in hitting percentage, second in total blocks (172), and third in total points (496.5).
The Las Vegas native finished her collegiate career having made significant changes to both the SDSU and MW record books, highlighted by becoming SDSU's all-time block assists leader in her final collegiate match against San Jose State on Nov 17 after logging 484 over her four years on the Mesa. Harris is also fourth in Aztec history in block points (317), eighth in hitting percentage (.322), and her 147 block assists in 2018 stand as the fifth most in a single season in school history.
In the MW, Harris sits in the league's all-time top 20 in kills (20th, 1,298), blocks (10th, 559), and points (16th, 1,665). Harris is one of just four student-athletes in conference history to have over 1,250 career kills and over 550 career blocks, while being one of just five players in league history to have won both an Offensive Player of the Week and Defensive Player of the Week over the course of her career.
Harris proved to be one of the nation's most dynamic blockers by season's end, finishing fifth in the country with 172 total blocks and 22nd in the nation with 1.38 blocks per set.
Harris had several standout performances over her 2018 season, including a 26-kill performance against Louisiana on Sept. 15. The 26 kills finished the season tied for the most in a single-match by anyone in the Mountain West.
Harris finished with double-digit kill totals in 19 of a possible 31 matches while recording 11 performances with eight or more blocks, including a career-high 12 against Seattle on Aug. 25 and 14-kill, 11-block double double against New Mexico on Oct. 11.
2018 MOUNTAIN WEST WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Player of the Year – Katie Oleksak, Jr., S, Colorado State
Newcomer of the Year - Morgan Hughes, Sr., MB, Boise State
Freshman of the Year – Jessica Donahue, MB, Boise State
Coach of the Year – Tom Hilbert, Colorado State
2018 MOUNTAIN WEST WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL ALL-CONFERENCE
Elizabeth Pennington, Sr., OH, Air Force
Morgan Hughes, Sr., MB, Boise State
Sabryn Roberts, Sr., OH, Boise State
Janell Walley, Jr., OH, Boise State
Kirstie Hillyer, Jr., MB, Colorado State
Paulina Hougaard-Jensen, Jr., MB, Colorado State
Katie Oleksak, Jr., S, Colorado State
Breana Runnels, So., OH, Colorado State
Madelyn Halteman, Jr., S, Fresno State
Taylor Slover, Sr., OH, Fresno State
Haile Watson, Sr., MB, Fresno State
Lauren Twitty, Jr., OH, New Mexico
Deja Harris, Sr., MB, San Diego State
Luiza Andrade, Sr., L, San José State
Latahevai Lousi, So., OH, San José State
Mariena Hayden, So., OH, UNLV
Reed Copeland, Sr., MB, Wyoming
Jackie McBride, So., MB, Wyoming
2018 MOUNTAIN WEST WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL HONORABLE MENTION
Abigail Miksch, Sr., OH, Air Force
Reagan Leonard, So., L/DS, Fresno State
Kayla Afoa, So., OH, Nevada
Thaliana Grajeda, Jr., MB, San José State
Kate Brennan, Fr., MB, UNLV
Kassidy Johnson, Sr., S, Utah State