North Idaho College freshman Kayla Neumann, a Sandpoint High product, was named East Region volleyball Player of the Year by the Northwest Athletic Conference.

Kelsey Stanley was named East Region Coach of the Year, the conference announced on Tuesday.

Other NIC selections to the all-region first team were sophomore Halle Hess and sophomore Rachel Leshikar. Freshman Hailee Etter was named to the second team for NIC, which opens the NWAC Championship today at 4:30 p.m. at the Tacoma Convention Center against Shoreline.

NIC enters the tournament as the East Region champion with a 31-6 record. The Cardinals were the second ranked team in the conference’s final poll.

Chemeketa was the top ranked team, with Linn-Benton third.

The tournament is available via webcast at www.nwacsports.org.

NORTHWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

at Tacoma Convention Center

Thursday

Match 1 — Pierce (32-11) vs. Mt. Hood (18-17), 9 a.m.

Match 2 — Edmonds (26-15) vs. Walla Walla (32-15), 9

Match 3 — Chemeketa (25-4) vs. Centralia (25-11), 11:30

Match 4 — Columbia Basin (26-7) vs. Whatcom (14-17), 11:30

Match 5 — Bellevue (32-12) vs. Spokane (33-9), 2 p.m.

Match 6 — Highline (22-19) vs. Clark (31-6), 2

Match 7 — North Idaho (31-6) vs. Shoreline (14-21), 4:30

Match 8 — Lower Columbia (25-12) vs. Linn-Benton (31-8), 4:30

Match 9 — Loser Match 1 vs. Loser Match 2, 6:30

Match 10 — Loser Match 3 vs. Loser Match 4, 6:30

Match 11 — Loser Match 5 vs. Loser Match 6, 8:15

Match 12 — Loser Match 7 vs. Loser Match 8, 8:15

Friday

Match 13 — Winner Match 1 vs. Winner Match 2, 10 a.m.

Match 14 — Winner Match 3 vs. Winner Match 4, 10

Match 15 — Winner Match 5 vs. Winner Match 6, 12:30 p.m.

Match 16 — Winner Match 7 vs. Winner Match 8, 12:30

Match 17 — Winner Match 11 vs. Loser Match 14, 3

Match 18 — Winner Match 12 vs. Loser Match 13, 3

Match 19 — Winner Match 9 vs. Loser Match 16, 4:45

Match 20 — Winner Match 10 vs. Loser Match 15, 4:45

Match 21 — Winner Match 13 vs. Winner Match 14, 6:30

Match 22 — Winner Match 15 vs. Winner Match 16, 6:30

Saturday

Match 23 — Winner Match 19 vs. Winner Match 20, 10 a.m.

Match 24 — Winner Match 17 vs. Winner Match 18, 10

Match 25 — Winner Match 23 vs. Loser Match 21, 11:45

Match 26 — Winner Match 24 vs. Loser Match 22, 11:45

Match 27 — Winner Match 21 vs. Winner Match 22, 1:30 p.m.

Match 28 — Winner Match 25 vs. Winner Match 26, 1:30 (loser fourth)

Match 29 — Winner Match 28 vs. Loser Match 27, 4:30 (loser third)

Sunday

Match 30 — Winner Match 27 vs. Winner Match 29, 2 p.m. (championship match)

Match 31 — Loser Match 30 vs. Winner Match 30, TBA (if-necessary)