UNLV shortstop Blando named MW Player of Year
UNLV shortstop Garie Blando was voted the Mountain West Player of the Year by the league’s nine coaches.
The sophomore from Chino Hills, Calif., led the league in on-base percentage (.561) and runs (27), was second in batting (.469) and hits (38), had 11 steals and made only six errors in 107 chances for a .947 fielding percentage. She had a hit in her first 17 conference games and went 5-for-5 against San Diego State to tie a UNLV single-game record.
The sixth Rebel since 1991 to earn league player of the year honors, Blando was joined on the All-MW first team by teammates Samantha Juarez and Stefany Valentino. UNLV’s Emily Haslinger and Pauline Monreal were named to the second team.