Haupt and junior outside hitter Atlee Hubbard were each named to the Big Sky’s first team, Lutes and senior setter Natalie Melcher were named second team, and Franz earned honorable mention honors. The Hornets’ five all-conference selections were the most in the league, ahead of Portland State, Eastern Washington and Montana State, who each had three players earn all-league honors.

Haupt, who is just a sophomore, becomes the first player in Big Sky history to earn the award as an underclassman, and the first middle hitter to earn MVP honors since former Hornet Tasman Dwyer earned the award in 2001. Haupt is the fifth Sacramento State player to earn MVP honors since the program joined the Big Sky in 1996, a list which also includes Jill Haas (1996), Maureen Rafferty (1999), Dwyer (2001) and Lisa Beauchene (2003).

Franz became the first Hornet to earn top newcomer honors, and Lutes earned Big Sky Libero of the Year honors for the second time in the past three seasons (also earning the award in 2003).

Haupt, who was named the Big Sky’s Outstanding Freshman last year, is hitting .317 with averages of 2.83 kills and 1.53 blocks per game. The Etna, Calif., native is currently 17th in the nation in blocks per game and was named Big Sky Player of the Week twice this season. Against conference competition, the middle hitter leads the league in both hitting percentage (.375) and blocks per game (1.84). She has hit better than .300 in each of her last 12 matches, and has tallied at least eight blocks in a match seven times, including a career-high 13 against second-place Portland State.

Hubbard is leading the Hornets with 3.70 kills per game and is second on the squad with 3.57 digs per game. She is currently tied for third in the Big Sky with 18 double-doubles and has posted double figures in kills in a team-best 21 matches. Against Big Sky competition, the Menlo Park, Calif., native is second in the Big Sky with 4.30 kills per game. The junior also has five matches with 20-plus kills, which is tied for the fourth-best mark in the conference.

Lutes, who is tops in the Big Sky and 18th in the nation with 5.53 digs per game, has tallied at least 11 digs in every match this season. The Kent, Wash., native has at least 21 digs in five of her last six matches, and leads the Big Sky with 26 matches of at least 15 digs. Against Big Sky competition, she is averaging 5.62 digs per game. She has raised her digs per game every season as a Hornet, including 3.98 in 2003, 4.93 in 2004 and 5.53 this season.

Melcher is currently averaging 10.09 assists, 2.06 digs, 1.18 blocks and 0.75 kills per game while also tallying a .291 hitting percentage. The Redlands, Calif., native began the season as the team’s right-side hitter before head coach Debby Colberg switched Melcher to setter after the team got off to a 1-5 start. Since the switch was made, the Hornets have posted an amazing 22-2 record, including victories in each of their last 13 matches. Against Big Sky competition, Melcher, who was named Big Sky Player of the Week two weeks ago, is currently second in assists (12.83 per game) and sixth in blocks (1.09 per game).

In her first year with the Hornets after transferring from Oregon State, Franz is currently leading the Hornets and ranks second in the Big Sky with a .345 hitting percentage. The Carmichael, Calif., native is averaging 2.02 kills and 1.28 blocks per game, and has started 23 of the Hornets’ 30 matches this season. The middle hitter is third in the conference in blocks, and has hit better than .400 in a match on 12 occasions this season.

Sacramento State (23-7, 13-1) was crowned Big Sky regular season champions and will host the conference tournament this Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 17-19. The winner of the tournament receives an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, a place the Hornets have been seven times in the last eight years. Winners of either the Big Sky’s regular season and/or tournament championship for nine-consecutive years, Sacramento State will receive a first round bye in the tournament and face the lowest remaining seed on Friday, Nov. 18, at 7:30 p.m.