Snyder receives WAC Athlete of Year honor

University of Nevada junior basketball player Kirk Snyder and Hawai'i senior volleyball player Kim Willoughby were named the recipients of the 2003-04 Joe Kearney Award for the Western Athletic Conference on Monday.

Named in honor of former WAC commissioner Joe Kearney, the awards are given annually to the top male and female WAC athletes. The WAC Athletics Directors select the male award winner and the WAC Senior Woman Administrators choose the female recipient. Willoughby becomes the first female to win back-to-back honors and just the third to garner the honor twice.

Snyder, a first-round draft pick of the Utah Jazz in the NBA draft last week, helped guide Nevada's basketball team to a school-record tying 25 wins, including a share of the WAC regular-season title, a WAC tournament title and a NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearance. Snyder was named the WAC and USBWA District 8 Player of the Year. He led the WAC in scoring with an 18.8 points per game average.

"Kirk (Snyder) was a great ambassador for the University of Nevada, with not only his great athletic ability on the basketball court, but also in the manner in which he handled himself off the court" Nevada Athletic Director Cary Groth said. "He was very well-spoken and articulate in post-game interviews, press conferences and in other dealings with the news media and always had a smile on his face off the court. I know he was a very positive role model for many youngsters in Northern Nevada as well as to his fellow teammates and classmates at Nevada."

Willoughby, a senior from Napoleonville, La., led the Rainbow Wahine to the NCAA Tournament semifinals in 2003. Hawai'i fell to Florida and finishing the season ranked No. 33 by the AVCA. Willoughby picked up a number of accolades in 2003 including the AVCA and Volleyball Magazine National Player of the Year awards. She was first-team All-America, all-West Region and all-WAC for the third straight year. She is the only player to be named WAC Player of the Year three times.

"Undoubtedly one of Hawai'i's most talented athletes in any sport," said Marilyn Moniz-Kaho'ohanohano, Hawai'i Senior Woman Administrator. "Kim Willoughby has wowed the volleyball crowds over the past four seasons. She relates well to many youngsters and always takes time to give autographs. Her ability, grace and explosive power have led our team to the highest levels of competition during her tenure. Kim has been the symbol of Wahine volleyball success and as the national player of the year she has been recognized across the nation as a premier player."