2000: UAA’s team MVP and Coaches’ Award winner was honored at season’s end with First Team All-Pac West Pacific Division honors...Tsukano was the only player on the Pacific Division team who was not from NCAA champion Hawaii Pacific or No. 12 Brigham-Young Hawaii...as team captain, she led the Seawolves in kills per game (3.25), digs per game (2.91), and double-doubles (14), while ranking fourth in blocks per game (0.48)...ranked 17th in the Pac West in kills per game and 18th in digs per game...was impressive from the start, earning the MVP award at the season-opening Jefferson Classic in Winona, Minn., in August...her play at that tournament also won her the Pac West Player of the Week award...posted double-digit kills in 21 matches, including four times going over 20 kills.
1999: Led the team with 32 service aces, 417 digs and a 4.17 dig per game average...No. 2 on the team in kills 276 and kills average (2.76)...named to the all-tournament team at the UAA Invitational, tallying 63 kills and 10 aces in four matches...received team's Coach's Award.
1998: Voted team's most improved player after averaging 2.0 kills, 1.6 digs and 0.5 blocks in 101 games...improved hitting percentage by 278 points from the previous season...cracked a carer-high 18 kills and hit .351 in a loss to undefeated and nationally ranked Rockhurst (10/3)...led UAA in both kills and total blocks four times...posted then-career high 20 digs at Western New Mexico (10/24).
1997: Saw limited action as a freshman...had three aces and five digs in her first collegiate match, a 3-1 loss to Washburn...registered 19 digs against Division I Dartmouth (9/14).
HIGH SCHOOL: Three-year letterwinner at Kaiser High...helped team to the state playoffs for three straight seasons...recognized on the school's Athletic Wall of Fame...honor roll student.
PERSONAL: Played club/junior volleyball for Kaleolani (1993), East Oahu (1994-95) and Asics Rainbows (1996-97)...1996 Asics team won the Haily Tournament...born Vanessa Yumiko Tsukano on July 26, 1979 in Honolulu, Hawaii...daughter of Andrew and Vicki Tsukano...majoring in management.
Career Highs
Kills: 26, vs St. Cloud State (8/25/00)
Attacks: 60, vs Central Missouri State (10/2/99)
Attack Pct.: .575 (26-3-40), vs St. Cloud State (8/25/00)
Aces: 4, vs Montana State-Billings (10/21/00)
Assists: 4, at Alaska Fairbanks (9/19/98)
Block Assists: 7, vs Truman State (8/28/98)
Block Solos: 2, vs St. Cloud State (8/25/00)
Total Blocks: 7, vs Truman State (8/28/98)
Digs: 33, at Central Washington (10/8/99)
