By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director
SALEM, Ore. --- Sarah Fincher (Sr., OH, Reno, NV/Bishop Manogue HS/Southwest Baptist Univ.) of Willamette University has been named Honorable Mention All-West Region by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). She was one of two athletes from the Northwest Conference to be named to the All-West Region Team.
Fincher was joined on the Honorable Mention list by Maddye Dinsmore (Sr., S) of Whitworth University. Overall, a total of 20 athletes were selected for the 2015 All-West Region Team with 14 players on the First Team and six players receiving Honorable Mention.
Willamette earned a 15-9 record this season and placed third in the Northwest Conference at 11-5. It was Willamette's best season since 2004, when the Bearcats went 19-6, including 13-3 in the NWC.
Honorable Mention All-West Region
Sarah Fincher (Sr., OH) was named to the All-West Region Team for the first time. She was recently chosen Northwest Conference Volleyball Player of the Year and was named First Team All-NWC. She also earned First Team All-NWC honors in 2013 and was named Second Team All-NWC in 2014.
In 2015, Fincher led the NWC with 333 kills and ranked second with 3.54 kills per set. She also was fifth in the NWC with a .239 hitting percentage. She also recorded 97 digs (1.03 per set) and 60 blocks (0.64 per set). She played in all 24 matches and 94 sets during the season.
Fincher pounded out 10 or more kills 19 times this year, including Willamette's final nine matches. She was credited with 15 or more kills 14 times. She recorded a season-high 21 kills in a 3-2 victory over NWC champion Whitworth on Nov. 6. Her career high was 25 kills versus Pacific University on Oct. 4, 2013.
During her three seasons at Willamette, Fincher earned 952 kills and a .209 career hitting percentage. Including her freshman season at Southwest Baptist University (Mo.) in 2012, she produced 1,041 kills.
Fincher played in 74 matches with 69 starts at Willamette. She saw action in a total of 277 sets. In addition to her impressive kills totals, she also registered 503 digs (1.82 per set) and 137 blocks (0.49 per set) during her Willamette career.
