FAIRFIELD, Conn. -Fairfield University's Jeff Werneke was named the Anaconda Sports Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Volleyball Coach of the Year while sophomore Barbie Thistle (Bakersfield, Calif./Bakersfield) was named the Co-Setter of the Year to headline the postseason awards handed out at the pre-tournament banquet this evening at the Trumbull Marriott. In addition, senior Kelly Oliver (San Diego, Calif./La Jolla) and sophomore Katie Mann (Del Mar, Calif./Torrey Pines) joined Thistle on the All-MAAC First Team.

Werneke earned Coach of the Year honors for the second-straight year after leading Fairfield to 20-10 overall record and a 17-1 conference record. The Stags also clinched a share of their fourth-straight MAAC Regular Season title and enter Sunday's MAAC Championship semifinals as the number two seed. In his six seasons at the helm, Werneke has posted a 110-82 overall record and an impressive 64-8 league record while leading Fairfield to the conference championship final in each of the last three years.

Thistle continued her impressive career garnering her second Setter of the Year nod. This season, Thistle has appeared in all 102 games and is third in the MAAC with an average of 11.04 assists per game. She is also averaging 2.35 digs per game and leads the team with 35 service aces. In two years as the Stags' primary setter, Thistle has not missed a single game (206), collecting 2,405 assists which puts her fourth in program history. Thistle was an All-MAAC Second Team pick in 2006.

Oliver is having one of her best seasons with the Stags, averaging 4.05 kills per game, good for third in the MAAC, and 3.41 digs per game. The two-time MAAC Player of the Week has notched 10 double-doubles this season and had recorded 10 or more kills in 19 matches. Earlier in the season Oliver reached the 1,000 plateau and is currently eighth all-time with 1,112 kills.

Mann had another stellar season for Fairfield as she is posting 3.67 kills and 1.03 blocks per game along with a hitting percentage of .370. She is ranked among the top-10 in the MAAC in all three categories. Her 97 block assists so far this season is the third-highest single season total in program history and she is 12 away from breaking the record. The two-time MAAC Player of the Week has not missed a game this season and has collected 10 or more kills on 10 different occasions, including a pair of double-doubles. Like Thistle, Mann has appeared in all 206 career games for the Stags. She checked into the top-10 on Fairfield's career block assists list with 182. Mann was an All-MAAC Second Team pick in 2006.

The Stags were also recognized for their excellence in the classroom as Oliver, Mann, Thistle, senior Lauren Campbell (San Diego, Calif./Mount Carmel), and junior Karlie Urbaniak (Canton, Minn./Mabel-Canton) were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team.

Fairfield hosts the 2007 Championship, November 18-19, at Alumni Hall. The Stags will face third-seeded Loyola in Sunday's semifinal at 11 a.m. Top-seeded Siena and fourth-seeded Iona will square off at 2 p.m. for Sunday's second semifinal match. The MAAC Championship final will be held on November 19 at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPNU.

All-MAAC First Team
Burgandy McCurty (Siena)
Barbie Thistle (Fairfield)
Katie Mann (Fairfield)
Kelly Oliver (Fairfield)
Chrissey Cruz (Loyola)
Raelean Rush (Niagara)

All-MAAC Second Team
Jess Stackhouse (Canisius)
Allison Nieters (Iona)
Nina Camaioni (Loyola)
Sarah Weiner (Iona)
Karlee Woodward (Loyola)
Alexandra Schultze (Marist)
Aubrey Bobo (Siena)
Nadiege Honore (Siena)

MAAC Offensive Player of the Year: Burgandy McCurty (Siena)
MAAC Co-Defensive Players of the Year: Jess Stackhouse (Canisius) and Allison Nieters (Iona)
MAAC Co-Setters of the Year: Barbie Thistle (Fairfield) and Chrissey Cruz (Loyola)
MAAC Rookie of the Year: Nina Camaioni (Loyola) 
Anaconda Sports/MAAC Coach of the Year: Jeff Werneke (Fairfield)