Dalhausser, Branagh lead in AVP season honors

His career still relatively young, Phil Dalhausser continues to rack up the awards.

The 2008 Olympic gold medalist and MVP picked up three awards at the AVP's season-ending banquet in Manhattan Beach on Thursday night. The awards are based on votes cast by each gender's top 32 players.

For the fifth year in a row, Dalhausser was named best offensive player, and for the second season in a row he was named best blocker. Logically, he was also named the men's MVP, an honor he's now taken the past three seasons.

In addition, Dalhausser and partner Todd Rogers were voted men's team of the year. They captured eight titles as a team, including the season-ending victory in Glendale, Ariz., in the AVP World Challenge, a victory over a Brazilian duo that sealed victory for Team USA in the country challenge. This is the third consecutive season Dalhausser and Rogers were named team of the year.

On the women's side, Nicole Branagh came close to matching Dalhausser's feats, as she was named best offensive player and MVP. She and her partner, Elaine Youngs, were also named team of the year, as they won nine events and advanced to the championship match in all 12 of the tournaments they entered.

Honored as the best defenders were John Hyden -- who recorded 1,007 digs and four titles in 2009 with partner Sean Scott -- and Brooke Hanson -- who led all women with 1,194 digs. The women's best blocker was Lisa Rutledge with 302 blocks.

This season's most improved players were John Mayer -- who won his first career title in San Diego and finished as the ninth-ranked male -- and a pair of women, Priscilla Lima and Lisa Rutledge. Lima advanced to the first four semifinals of her career this season, and Rutledge made her first final in San Diego and took third place five times.

The rookies of the year were Jonathan Acosta -- who ranked 34th among all male players -- and Raquel Caulkins, who finished in the top 17 in each of her 11 AVP tournaments this season.

Information from the AVP was used in this report.