Nov. 25, 2008
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — University of New Mexico senior Jeanne Fairchild has been named the 2008 Mountain West Conference Volleyball Co-Player of the Year by a vote of the league’s coaches, along with Lori Baird of Utah. Fairchild, senior Gayle Tripp and sophomore Jade Michaelsen were named to the All-Mountain West Conference Team as announced by the conference office on Tuesday morning. Tripp was also named Co-Libero of the Year, along with Camille Cunningham of UNLV.
“This is great news for the program and for Jeanne,” said Lobo head coach Jeff Nelson. “Being named Player of the Year in the Mountain West Conference is a first for the program. There couldn’t be a more deserving player. She’s been great to coach and she’s still getting better every week. It’s exciting to watch her.”
Fairchild, an All-America candidate at outside hitter, is ranked third in the nation in kills per set at 4.84 while leading the MWC all season in the category. The Albuquerque, N.M., native has also led the league in points per set with 5.18 and is ranked 11th in hitting percentage at .308. In just her third season with the Lobos, Fairchild cracked the 1,000-career kills mark and currently ranks fourth on the UNM all-time career kills list with 1,203. She needs 27 kills to move into third place. The Lobos have two regular season matches remaining against New Mexico State Friday and Virginia Commonwealth Saturday. Fairchild became the first Lobo to be a repeat all-MWC selection. Last season, Fairchild joined Anna Reines (2002) as the only Lobo to receive all-MWC honors from the young league. Fairchild was also the first Lobo to repeat as an MWC Player of the Week, receiving the honor three times in 2008 and once in 2006. Fairchild has been named to four all-tournament teams so far this season – MCM Elegante Lobo Classic, George Mason Patriot Invitational (MVP), Nebraska Ameritas Players Challenge, and UTA Holiday Inn Invitational. Fairchild was also named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District VI Second Team this season for her work in the classroom. The league has also recognized Fairchild’s academic prowess with MWC Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-MWC honors in 2006 and 2007.
“Her (Jeanne’s) numbers have been off the chart this year as far as outside hitters go,” continued Nelson. “I don’t think there are many, if any, with better numbers than she has right now. This is a great honor for her with us finishing third. It just shows how much the coaches respect her around the conference.”
Tripp became the Lobos’ all-time career dig leader this season on Nov. 6 against Colorado State and currently has 1,551 career digs. The Rio Rancho, N.M., native has the opportunity to take over third place on the MWC’s career digs list this weekend as she only needs 20 to pass Utah’s Connie Dangerfield. Tripp was second in the MWC in digs per set all season, now 61st in the nation, and currently averages 4.53 going into the final weekend of the regular season. Tripp also has a shot at finishing her UNM career among the top-5 servers in Lobo history. She has 107 career service aces and needs three more to take over fifth place. Tripp was named the MVP of the MCM Elegante Lobo Classic at the beginning of the 2008 season for her outstanding defensive performance. Not only is Tripp active on the court, she is active in the classroom and on campus. Tripp is a two-time Academic All-MWC honoree and is an officer on the UNM Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Tripp also serves the University as a Senator in the Associated Students of UNM.
“Gayle was named Libero of the Year and she’s very deserving as well,” said Nelson. “She’s probably the kid in our program who works the hardest to raise the awareness of our program and everything about it. She’s great on the floor, gets it done and I think she’s one of the best passers in the conference.”
Michaelsen became the Lobos’ starting setter midway through her freshman year in 2007 and has been the team’s on-court general ever since. The Tucson, Ariz., native is second in the conference in assists with 10.98 per set, now 27th nationally, and currently has 1,856 career assists in two seasons. Michaelsen became just the second Lobo to be named MWC Player of the Week on Sept. 29, following her outstanding performances on the road at San Diego State and UNLV. She was also named to three all-tournament teams during the season – MCM Elegante Lobo Classic, George Mason Patriot Invitational, and Nebraska Ameritas Players Challenge. Michaelsen was an ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District IV nominee this season and an Academic All-MWC selection in 2007.
“Jade making first team all-conference as a setter is a great honor as well,” said Nelson. “When we came in two years ago, she started setting more and more and partway through last season we moved from a 6-2 to a 5-1 where she became our only setter. She’s had a great year. The setter runs the team and she’s only a sophomore. She’s had to establish herself as a leader and someone the kids have confidence in. Then go out and make it work in the conference and raise the level of our team.”
The Lobos are currently 21-6 overall and finished the MWC season ranked third at 11-5 in Jeff Nelson’s second season as head coach. UNM will wrap up the regular season Nov. 28-29 as it hosts the Comcast Lobo Challenge at Johnson Center. The Lobos play Rio Grande Rival New Mexico State on Friday at 6 p.m., followed by the tournament’s final match on Saturday at 3 p.m. against Virginia Commonwealth.
2008 MOUNTAIN WEST ALL-CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL TEAM
Name, School, Class, Position, Hometown
Rachel Dyer !**, BYU, Sr., MB, Encinitas, Calif.
Kayla Walker, BYU, Jr., RS/OPP, Kaysville, Utah
Mekana Barnes !**, CSU, Sr., MB, Highlands Ranch, Colo.
Tessa Nelson, CSU, Jr., MB, Balaton, Minn.
Jeanne Fairchild !*, UNM, Sr., OH, Albuquerque, N.M.
Jade Michaelsen, UNM, So., S, Tucson, Ariz.
Lauren Salisbury, SDSU, So., MB, Southlake, Texas
Nirelle Hampton, TCU, Sr., S, Gainesville, Fla.
Christy Hudson, TCU, So., RS, Yorba Linda, Calif.
Melody Nua !*, UNLV, Sr., S, Lakewood, Calif.
Lori Baird !**, Utah, Sr., MB, Murray, Utah
Karolina Bartkowiak, Utah, So., RS, Aurora, Ill.
Kathryn Haynie, Utah, Sr., OH, North Salt Lake City, Utah
Emillie Toone *, Utah, Sr., MB, American Fork, Utah
Setter – Ashley Fornstrom !*, CSU, Sr., Cheyenne, Wyo.
Co-Libero – Gayle Tripp, UNM, Sr., Rio Rancho, N.M.
Camille Cunningham, UNLV, Sr., La Canada, Calif.
Co-Players of the Year
Jeanne Fairchild, New Mexico
Lori Baird, Utah
Freshman of the Year
Cursty Jackson, UNLV
Coach of the Year
Beth Launiere, Utah
!notes repeat selection
*notes two-time selection
**notes three-time selection