Burns of COC; Sanchez and Ferreira of BC Take Home Top WSC South Honors in VB

College of the Canyons sophomore outside hitter Emily Burns was named the 2017 Western State Conference South Division Most Valuable Player for the season. Hailey Sanchez, a sophomore libero from Bakersfield College was the divisions Libero of the Year, while Bakersfield Head Coach Carl Ferreira was named the Coach of the Year. 

Burns followed up a fantastic freshman campaign in which she was a 1st team All-WSC South selection with a 2017 season that saw her average a conference best 4.61 kills per set. Burns totaled 502 kills for the year, and did so with a .329 kill percentage, the second best mark in the entire WSC. Burns also notched 67 aces, 177 digs, and 79 blocks on the season. 

Canyons would go on to be seeded #3 in the Southern California playoffs, besting #14 Golden West in four sets in the regional quarterfinals and advancing to the State Championships with a sweep of #11 El Camino College. The Cougars' season would end in the State Semi-Finals. Canyons would defeat NorCal #2 Feather River College in straight sets in State Quarterfinals before falling to eventual undefeated State Champion Irvine Valley College in five sets in the aforementioned semi-finals. 

Sanchez led the WSC South in digs per set, averaging 4.26 digs a game throughout her 2017 season. Sanchez totaled 362 digs, while adding 117 assists, and 45 aces for the Renegades. 

Ferreira meanwhile was named the Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season and the fourth time in his 13 year tenure with the Renegades. Ferreira led Bakersfield College to the program's eighth WSC title in 2017, a championship they shared with College of the Canyons. The Renegades went 7-1 in WSC South play, and finished 19-6 overall. Bakersfield would go on to represent the WSC in the 2017 CCCAA SoCal Playoffs, earning the #6 overall seed. 

2017 Women's Volleyball All-Western State Conference South Division List