Skylights’ setter earns Frontier Conference awards

George Ferguson Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com

With the 2006 Frontier Conference volleyball season in the books, awards were handed out on Wednesday by the the league. Montana State University-Northern setter Brittany Sesler received multiple honors. Sesler, a junior from Alta Loma, Calif., was named honorable mention all-conference and was also unanimously voted as the league’s Newcomer of the Year. Sesler had a standout year for a young Skylights team that struggled a bit in conference play. Northern was eliminated from the Frontier Conference tournament by Westminster College. Frontier Conference champion the University of Great Falls had two players named to the first team in outside hitter Brittany Prater and libero Kari Schiller. Schiller was also named the league’s Libero of the Year. UGF placed four players on the all-conference list, while Westminster also had three players make earn all-conference honors. Westminster junior outside hitter Angie Johnson was named the league’s Most Valuable Player. Rocky Mountain College outside hitter Sara Schuepbach was named the Frontier’s Freshman of the Year. Schuepbach and Montana Tech freshman Callie Buck both earned first-team honors in their first season in the Frontier Conference. UGF head coach Arunas Duda was named coach of the year after leading the Griffins to the regular season championship and a trip to the Region I tournament. UGF finished fourth in the league in 2005. Westminster and Carroll College also reached the Region I tournament this season. The Saints captured the Frontier Conference tournament title, beating the Griffins in the championship match.