November 20, 2000
Texas A&M's Beth Weynand highlights the 59-member Volleyball Academic All-Big 12 Team, announced by the league office today. Weynand, a junior defensive specialist majoring in biomedical science, was the only student-athlete on the entire academic team to sport a cumulative 4.00 grade point average.
Texas A&M placed seven student-athletes on the team, tying Nebraska for the largest representation by one school. Weynand was joined on the first team by Aggie teammates Erin Gibson, Claire Harvey, Heather Marshall, Jenna Moscovic and Tara Pulaski. A.D. Achilefu was named to the second team.
Weynand, who was named to the Verizon Academic All-District VI Team last week, has played in every game for the Aggies this season and is averaging 1.94 digs per game after redshirting last year while recuperating from a torn ACL. The Austin, Texas, native was a member of the Volleyball Academic All-Big 12 Team in 1998.
Gibson, a junior management information systems major from Houston, Texas, has started every match for the No. 25 Aggies and leads the team and the Big 12 with 4.34 digs per game. The outside hitter also leads A&M with 4.30 kills per game. Gibson is making her second appearance on the academic first team.
Harvey, a finance major from Houston, has played in 15 matches and started three and is averaging 10.08 assists per game. The senior setter also is making her second appearance on the academic team.
Marshall, a business management major from Carrollton, Texas, has started every match for the Aggies and leads the team with 1.40 blocks per game. The senior middle blocker was a member of the academic second team as a junior.
Moscovic, a junior finance major from Stockton, Calif., is making her second consecutive appearance on the academic first team. The setter, who was named the Big 12 Preseason Co-Player of the Year by the league coaches, leads A&M and is ranked 18th in the nation with 13.76 assists per game.
Pulaski, a redshirt freshman from Encinitas, Calif., has started every match for A&M this season. Majoring in business administration, the 6-2 middle blocker leads the Aggies with a .341 hitting percentage and is second on the squad with 1.04 blocks per game.
Achilefu, a sophomore journalism major from Houston, is one of the Aggies' most versatile athletes and is typically one of the first players in off the bench, coming in as either a middle blocker or outside hitter. She has appeared in 21 matches and is hitting .314 while averaging 2.27 kills per game.
Nominated by each institution's director of student-athlete support services and the sports information offices, the volleyball academic all-league squad consisted of 45 combined first team members with 14 on the second team. First team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.2 or better grade-point average, while the second team are those who have a 3.0 to 3.19 GPA.
To qualify, student-athletes must maintain a 3.0 grade point average or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 60 percent of her team's scheduled contests. Freshmen and transfers are not eligible in their first year of academic residence. Senior student-athletes who have participated for a minimum of two years and meet all the criteria except percent of participation are eligible.
The Aggies (17-8, 12-6 Big 12) conclude the regular season this week with home matches against No. 22 Kansas State and Texas. The Wildcats, who have never won in four visits to College Station, face A&M on Wednesday, Nov. 22, and the rival Longhorns visit G. Rollie White Coliseum on Saturday. Both matches begin at 7 p.m.
Texas A&M members of the 2000 Volleyball Academic All-Big 12 Team
First Team
Erin Gibson Jr. Management Information Systems Houston, Texas
Claire Harvey Sr. Finance Houston, Texas
Heather Marshall Jr. Business Management Carrollton, Texas
Jenna Moscovic Jr. Finance Stockton, Calif.
Tara Pulaski Fr-RS Business Administration Encinitas, Calif.
*Beth Weynand Jr. Biomedical Science Austin, Texas
Second Team
A.D. Achilefu So. Journalism Houston, Texas
* - indiates 4.0 grade point average