2005 ACADEMIC ALL-WAC TEAM
SECOND TEAM ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
2005 (JUNIOR): Allen played in all 27 matches for the Aggies last season while making 26 starts at the outside hitter position. In her third year with the Aggies, Allen proved to be one of the most complete players on the floor for the Crimson & White night in and night out. Allen led the team and the Western Athletic Conference at the service line with 46 aces. That mark also tied her for sixth all-time on the Aggies' single-season service aces list. She also finished third on the team in kills (304), kills per game (3.10), digs (234) and digs per game (2.39). Allen recorded four double-doubles last season, including a 10-kill, 16-dig performance in a five-game loss at No. 9 Hawai'i (11/17). She ended the season with 19 double-digit kill matches and had at least three kills in all 27 contests. Allen was also a force defensively as she finished the season with nine double-digit dig matches. She had at least three digs in all 27 matches and had three blocks or more on five occasions. Allen got her junior season off to a great start as she tallied 10 or more kills in three of the Aggies' first four matches. In the season opener against I-25 rival New Mexico (8/29), Allen helped the Aggies to a three-game sweep with 13 kills, nine digs and three total blocks. Four days later against Cincinnati (9/3) Allen continued her strong play as she recorded 11 kills and three total blocks while tying a career high with five service aces in a four-game win over the Bearcats. At the 2005 UTEP Invitational Tournament, Allen again stepped up as she earned all-tournament honors after tallying 18 kills, 11 digs and three block assists in two matches. In the Aggies' WAC opener at Nevada (9/24), Allen quickly made a name for herself in the new conference as she tallied a career-high 22 kills, four aces and three total blocks in a five-game loss to the Wolf Pack. A week later, in her first ever showdown with nationally-ranked Hawai'i (10/1), Allen registered nine kills and 10 digs in a near upset of the No. 11 Rainbow Wahine. From Oct. 8 to Nov. 7 Allen recorded 10 straight double-figure kill matches, including nine conference tilts. In three road matches to begin the run, Allen averaged 13.6 kills, nine digs and 2.3 blocks in three-game sweeps at Louisiana Tech (10/8), Fresno State (10/13) and San Jose State (10/15). Two weeks later, Allen brought her show home to the Pan American Center as she notched 14 kills and eight digs while hitting a season-best .444 (14-2-27) in a sweep of Boise State (10/22). Five days later Allen registered her first double-double of the season with 13 kills and 11 digs at Idaho. On Nov. 5, Allen helped lead the Aggies to a 3-1 win over San Jose State with 16 kills, 10 digs and two total blocks. In her first WAC Championships, Allen came to play as the hitter averaged 13.5 kills, eight digs and two blocked shots in two matches. Against San Jose State in the quarterfinals Allen led the Aggies to a four-game win with 12 kills, four service aces and three total blocks. In a five-game loss to Utah State in the semifinals, Allen again did her best to lead NMSU as she finished the season finale with 15 kills and 13 digs against the Aggies. Allen was also a force in the classroom as she was named to the All-WAC Academic Team and the CoSIDA Academic All-District VI Team.
2004 (SOPHOMORE): Allen started all 33 matches as an outside hitter for the Aggies in 2004. She finished the year ranked fourth on the squad in kills (231), kills per game (2.06) and aces (43). Her 43 aces tied her for fifth most in the Sun Belt Conference. Allen registered four double-digit kill matches, including a career-high 12 kills in a five-game win at Arkansas-Little Rock (10/10). She tallied at least two kills in all 33 matches last season and notched five or more kills on 29 occasions. Defensively, Allen finished fourth on the team in blocks (71) and blocks per game (0.70) while ranking fifth in digs (220) and digs per game (1.96). She registered at least one total block in 29 of 33 matches in 2004 and recorded at least one dig 32 times. She tallied double-digit digs on six occasions and set a career high with 15 digs against Arkansas State (10/29). Allen, an English Major, also excelled off the court as she joined teammate Jackie Choi on the Sun Belt Conference Commissioner's List for student-athletes with a grade-point-average of 3.5 or higher. She was also named to the 2004 ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District VI Women's Volleyball Second Team. Allen got off to a great start in her second year with the Aggies as she helped lead NMSU to a second place finish at the 2004 Bronco Invitational, hosted by Boise State. In the season opener against Weber State (9/3), Allen posted eight kills, seven digs and four total blocks in a 3-1 win over the Wildcats. A day later, Allen again came through as she tallied six kills, five digs and three total blocks in another four-game victory over Gonzaga. Despite a loss to the host Broncos in the championship match, Allen played well offensively as she registered nine kills. Two weeks later, Allen helped the Aggies to their second tournament championship in less than seven days at the 2004 Idaho State Classic. In the second match of the tournament, Allen again took it to Gonzaga as she posted eight kills, nine digs and four total blocks in a three-game sweep of the Bulldogs. Against Idaho State in the title match, Allen notched her first double-digit kill match of the season with 10 kills and six digs in a four-game victory over the Bengals. Allen was also strong in Sun Belt play last season as she recorded four double-digit kill matches and five double-digit dig matches against conference opponents. In arguably the best collegiate match of her career, Allen, along with her career-high 12 kills, added five aces, 14 digs and four total blocks against Arkansas-Little Rock. Two weeks later, Allen again showed her defensive skills as she tallied a career-high 15 digs in a 3-1 win over conference power Arkansas State (10/29). At North Texas (11/5), Allen registered her second double-double of the season with 10 kills and 10 digs in a four-game win over the Mean Green. At the 2004 Aeropostale Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Championships, Allen helped lead the Aggies to their second straight tournament title and back to the NCAA Tournament. In the semifinals against host New Orleans, Allen tied a career high with six total blocks while adding 10 digs and nine kills in a 3-1 win over the Privateers. In the championship match against the No. 2 seed Western Kentucky, Allen again displayed her all-around game as she had eight kills, 10 digs and five total blocks in a sweep of the Lady Toppers.
2003 (FRESHMAN): Allen appeared in six games and four matches for the Aggies in 2003. She recorded two digs against South Alabama (9/28), one dig against Louisiana-Lafayette (11/7) and recorded her first kill and block assist against Arkansas-Little Rock (11/21).
HIGH SCHOOL: Allen, a native of Deming, N.M., attended Deming High School. At Deming, Allen's team won back-to-back district championships and was named All-State for three years, all-district for four years, the 2002-03 Gatorade Player of the Year in New Mexico and South All-Star MVP for four years. She also played basketball for three years where she was All-District for three years and the South All-Star MVP. She was also part of the tennis team where she was a runner-up at state, she placed third at state on two occasions, and she was part of the District Championship team. Academically, Allen graduated Summa Cum Laude of her class, and she was a member of the National Honor Society.
PERSONAL: Tanya Nicole Allen was born in Las Cruces, N.M. and is the daughter of Becky Allen. She is majoring in English at New Mexico State.
