Hemet High setter Tristan Self credits her team for the success with which she has been credited this season.

The sophomore was awarded the California Interscholastic Federation Division 4A Player of the Year award after the Bulldogs repeated as CIF champions. The award, which was won by Hemet outside hitter Hayleigh Friemoth last season, is given to only one player in the division.

"Player of the year means a lot to me," Self said. "I am thankful that my team got me into a situation where I could win an award like that."

Self averaged 10.4 assists per set along with 3.4 digs. That usually meant at least 30 assists per match. She was also an offensive weapon. She was one of the Bulldog's strongest blockers and rounded up kills by dumping the ball when the pass was tight to the net.

But according to Self, her strengths lie in other areas.

"I think my strengths are in my court sense. I see the other side of the net," she said. "I have also gotten better about staying calm in big game situations."

As for whether she deserved the high honor, head coach Jewel Robinson certainly thinks so.

"Tristan deserved it," Robinson said. "She goes out there time after time and plays with the 'big girls' and fulfi lls her duties and more."

Self has been playing with older players since she was 13 years old. She began playing 18-and-under travel volleyball when she was in eighth grade. Self said playing with older players has prepared her for her current duties.

"I think I was able to go in and play varsity as a freshmen because I was already used to playing with older girls," Self said. "Plus, many of my teammates at the high school were on my club team so I felt more comfortable."

Robinson credits Self with a very clean style of play.

"Every time she goes out there her performance is, the majority of the time, fl awless," Robinson said. "I am very happy and proud of her."

Also earning all-CIF honors was senior libero Rosie Robinson. She was placed on the fi rst team all-CIF lineup after averaging 4.5 digs a game.

As for Mountain Pass league honors, the Bulldogs cleaned up. Self and Rosie Robinson were named co-Most Valuable Players of the league. Outside hitters Savannah Loutzenhiser and Brianna Williams made fi rst team all-league, middle blocker Shelbi Skinner and defensive specialist Kayla Bozer were named second team all-league, and middle blocker Rebecca Formica earned honorable mention.

Jewel Robinson was named CIF Division 4A coach of the year for the second consecutive season.

Looking to next year, Coach Robinson and Self are feeling optimistic.

"Next year looks promising," she said. "Although we may be moving up a division, we will have pretty much our same team back, with the addition of Baylee Christian who was injured at the beginning of the season."

"The team next year is going to surprise a lot of people," Self said. "Hopefully we can do what we have done the last two years."

Self, a dual-sport athlete, is now in the middle of soccer season. She is the starting right midfi elder. The Bulldogs made it to the semifi nals last year before falling to San Dimas.

"I think our soccer team has a good chance of doing what we did in volleyball," Self said. "I hope my (soccer) teammates get to experience that."