Stanford’s Oden Player of Year in Volleyball

Kim Oden of Stanford was named Player of the Year, and Mike Hebert of Illinois was named Coach of the Year in Division I women’s volleyball, it was announced Saturday.

The Division I championship game between Stanford and University of the Pacific will be played here tonight at 8 EST.

The awards were based on voting by the Collegiate Volleyball Coaches of America.

Hebert coached the Illini to a 39-3 record this season, the highest victory total among Division I schools. Illinois was ranked as high as eighth nationwide en route to its first NCAA tournament appearance.

Oden, a 6-2 senior from Irvine, Calif., was named earlier as Player of the Year in the Pacific Athletic Conference. She was joined on the Division I All-American first team by Stanford teammate Wendi Rush and her younger sister Elaina, whom she will oppose in the title game against UOP.