The past month has been a whirlwind for Oregon's Alaina Bergsma.

The 6-foot-3 senior outside hitter became the first Duck in school history to earn Pac-12 volleyball player of the year honors. Just before Thanksgiving, Bergsma handed in her crown after spending a year as Miss Oregon USA. Earlier this week, Bergsma wrapped up her undergraduate degree in business.

On the horizon: a professional volleyball career, in either South Korea or Puerto Rico. Also, Bergsma plans to get married next May to Kevin Coble, a former basketball star at Northwestern.

What currently interests Bergsma most, though, is ahead in the coming days: a chance to go where no Ducks volleyball team has traveled.

Oregon, the No. 5 seed overall, plays in the NCAA tournament's round of 16 at 2 p.m. Friday against BYU in the Omaha Regional. Should the Ducks win, they'll reach the final eight for the first time in school history.

Win the regional, and Oregon is off to the Final Four in Louisville from Dec. 13-15.

"It's been really exciting," Bergsma said. "Seeing all of the volleyball alums coming back and supporting us; we feel like we're not just playing for ourselves."

Oregon is in position to make program history because of a player like Bergsma, who came to Eugene after transferring from Loyola Marymount.

Bergsma has been a standout throughout her college career. She was the West Coast Conference's freshman of the year in 2009 at Loyola, and earned third-team all-America honors last season at Oregon. This year's Pac-12 player of the year honor came during a season that Ducks coach Jim Moore called a year of "dramatic improvement" for Bergsma.

Bergsma led the Pac-12 with 4.92 kills per set, which ranks fifth in the country.

"She's really a bright human being," Moore said. "Her vision has gone way up. When you gain vision and you're intelligent in this sport, you look really good. ... She is seeing the next layer of defense. When you do that, you become a phenomenal hitter."

Bergsma credits Moore for getting her to an elite level.

"Jim really pushed me to become more of an all-around player," Bergsma said. "He's quite a bit responsible for me winning the award. The offense we run allows me to do what I do best."

As polished as Bergsma has become in the sport, what pushed her to become the Pac-12's best may not have anything to do with volleyball.

Last year, a former high school volleyball teammate, who was 2010 Miss Texas USA, encouraged Bergsma to try out for the Miss Oregon USA pageant. Bergsma was selected Miss Lane County, then last November, won the Miss Oregon pageant.

Suddenly, the typical full plate of being a college student-athlete became a seven-course meal. Bergsma had obligations at various community events during the year throughout the state, and she represented Oregon in the Miss USA pageant last June.

"We had a lot of fun with that," said Oregon sophomore hitter Liz Brenner. "We have our jokes here and there. But we're proud of what she's done."

At 6-3 -- and wearing 7-inch heels during the swimsuit competition -- Bergsma became the Miss USA pageant's tallest-ever contestant. Moore was amazed at how Bergsma handled herself throughout the year.

"The thing that strikes me is the level of confidence you need in a pageant is phenomenal. To be in a bathing suit, to be able to get up there and not have it destroy you is amazing to me," Moore said. "It's not that she didn't have the confidence before. But this brought out more confidence.

"It has made her a better player. Situations, they don't faze her."

After crowning Gabrielle Neilan at the recent 2013 Miss Oregon USA contest, Bergsma says she's finished with pageants, but adds the experience was positive and exciting.

Bergsma also is hoping her pageant experience is a gift that keeps on giving.

"After the pageant, I got a lot of modeling offers, and I had to turn them down because I was a college athlete," Bergsma said. "I hope they haven't forgot me."

--Nick Daschel, special to The Oregonian