Brande Coach of Year, ‘Eaters duo on first team

UC Irvine’s Charlie Brande was named Big West Conference Coach of the Year and two Anteaters earned first-team all-conference recognition after leading the team to a second-place finish.

Senior Lauren Kellerman and sophomore Kari Pestolesi are the first-team honorees, while Alexandra Hauser was voted to the All-Freshman team and senior libero Devon Sutherland received honorable mention.

Brande, who will retire after this year, his ninth season at the UCI helm, guided the ’Eaters to a 17-12 record, 12-4 in the Big West, one game behind champion Long Beach State. He becomes the first UCI Coach to receive the honor.

Kellerman, a 6-foot outside hitter, has now earned three straight first-team plaudits. She posted 349 kills, 259 digs and 20 aces during the regular season, which the Anteaters hope will be rewarded with an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament when pairings are announced Sunday.

Pestolesi, a 5-11 outside hitter, was the conference Freshman of the Year and a first-team pick last season. She led UCI with 373 kills and 35 aces. Her 348 digs were second to Sutherland’s 454. Pestolesi, named Big West Co-Player of the Week on Monday, posted double figures in kills and digs in 20 matches this season.

Hauser, a 6-2 middle blocker, finished third on the team with 62 total blocks and added 93 kills. She posted a .255 hitting percentage.

Sutherland, UCI’s career digs leader with 1,756, recorded a career-high 31 digs in a win over UC Santa Barbara Friday. She had double-digit digs in all but three matches this season.

Cal State Fullerton senior Brittany Moore was named Player of the Year.

— From staff reports