VOLLEYBALL: HAUKAP CARRIED OFF OVC'S TOP AWARD

Krista Haukap and Emily Scannell appreciated the awards they received Thursday night during the Ohio Valley Conference volleyball honors banquet held at the Drury Lodge in Cape Girardeau.

But Haukap and Scannell would like something even better -- for their Southeast Missouri State University team to win the OVC Tournament that will be played today and Saturday at Houck Field House. The Otahkians, who went through league play undefeated, are the heavy favorites to claim their third straight berth in the NCAA Tournament.

"This is nice," said a smiling Haukap, who was named OVC Player of the Year. "But the big (OVC tourney) trophy is what we're concerned about."

Said Scannell, named OVC Freshman of the Year, "It's an honor, but like coach (Cindy Gannon) says, it's all about the team. We're just looking forward to the weekend."

The league's top player honor was just the latest in a long line of awards for Haukap, a senior outside hitter whose brilliant Southeast career has led to her being the school's all-time kills leader with 1,979.

A native of Aviston, Ill., Haukap ranks first in the OVC and 12th nationally in kills per game (5.38) and she is only the third player in OVC history to lead the league in kills in consecutive seasons.

Haukap, who has been first-team all-OVC the last two years after earning second-team honors in 1998, is also fourth in the conference in hitting percentage and fifth in digs. She also excels in the classroom, having earlier Thursday been named to the Verizon Academic All-America District 7 first team based on her volleyball skills and 3.67 grade-point average.

Asked whether she expected to win the award, Haukap said she believed it would come down to either her or teammate and fellow senior outside hitter Lea Beckemeyer, who is second in the OVC and 17th nationally in kills per game (5.17) and joined Haukap in making first-team all-league Thursday.

"I thought it was a tossup between me and Lea," Haukap said. "We complement each other so well. I wish there could have been co-players (of the year). She deserved it as much as me."

That's the kind of unselfish attitude that Gannon says has marked Haukap's sensational career at Southeast. And the coach agreed with Haukap that perhaps co-player awards would have been fitting.

"If ever there was a year for that, this would have been it," Gannon said. "I'm just so proud of both of them. Krista has had a fabulous career and she and Lea have really led our team this year."

As for Scannell, the rookie setter and native of Belleville, Ill., leads the OVC and ranks seventh nationally in assists per game (14.26). Gannon said before the season that filling the setter position adequately would perhaps hold the key to the Otahkians' season and Scannell came through in a big way.

"She's had a great freshman year," said Gannon.

Said Scannell, "I was surprised. I didn't expect anything like this. I had a lot to learn at the start of the season. I've gotten better and better and I attribute it to the coaches and my teammates."

Scannell was also named to the OVC's All-Newcomer Team while another Otahkian, senior Rachelle Knapp, earned second-team all-league honors. Knapp leads the Otahkians in blocks with 67.

* Tennessee-Martin's Chris Rushing was named OVC Coach of the Year for leading a Skyhawk squad that had never finished higher than seventh in the league to a second-place showing.

Joining Haukap and Beckemeyer on the all-OVC first team were Rachel Ahlers and Lindsey Vicknair of Tennessee-Martin; Leslie Przekwas of Eastern Illinois; and Becky Sowinski of Austin Peay.

* Tournament play begins at 10 a.m. today as third-seeded Eastern Illinois (17-12, 11-5 OVC) plays No. 6 Murray State (10-15, 8-8). Then at 1 p.m., No. 4 Austin Peay (17-14, 8-8) faces No. 5 Morehead State (19-11, 8-8).

In the semifinals, also today, No. 2 Tennessee-Martin (20-5, 13-3) play the Eastern Illinois-Murray State winner at 4 p.m. and Southeast (20-8, 16-0) takes on the Austin Peay-Morehead State winner at 7 p.m.

The championship match will be at 2 p.m. Saturday.