IRVINE, Calif. – UC Irvine's Hilir Henno has been named Big West Player of the Year as selected by the league's head coaches.

Henno becomes the first Anteater to claim The Big West top honor and the third UCI player to be named conference Player of the Year, joining Jayson Jablonsky (2006) and Zack La Cavera (2015) who earned the top accolade in the MPSF. He is also one of three UCI players to have been named to the All-Big West first team three times in a career.

The outside hitter was dominant offensively, leading The Big West and country in points at 5.51 per set and is second in kills (4.77). He also ranks first in aces (0.43), third in hitting percentage (.382) and 11^th in digs (1.39) among Big West players overall.

Henno was named Big West Offensive Player of the Week four times this season, including AVCA National Player of the Week on Feb. 19.

The outside hitter has recorded double-digit kills in every match this season, including a career-high 36 kills at Hawaii, hitting .412 (36-8-68), the most kills by a Big West player this season and second most in the country.

The junior fired a Big West and UCI record nine aces versus Princeton and became the Big West career leader in aces with 179 and counting. His .605 career aces clip is second nationally.

Henno and the Anteaters will compete in the NCAA Opening Round next Tuesday (Apr. 30) at 1:30 p.m. versus Penn State at the Walter Pyramid on the Long Beach State campus.