November 26, 2000
Texas A&M's Jenna Moscovic and Erin Gibson were selected to the 2000 All-Big 12 Conference Volleyball First Team, in a vote of the league's head coaches and announced by the conference office today. In addition, Tara Pulaski was named Newcomer of the Year, and Heather Marshall received honorable mention.
Moscovic, a junior setter from Stockton, Calif., is making her second consecutive appearance on the first team after directing the No. 25 Aggies to a 19-8 mark in the regular season, including a 14-6 Big 12 record and a second-place finish in the league standings. Voted the preseason Co-Big 12 Player of the Year, Moscovic averaged a school-record 14.0 assists per game in Big 12 action this season, and she also broke an A&M all-time record with 88 assists in a four-game victory at Texas.
Gibson, a junior outside hitter from Houston, Texas, leads the Big 12 and is ranked in the top 15 in the nation with 4.29 digs per game in her first season as a starter. She also leads the Aggies with 4.36 kills per game and has reached double figures in both kills and digs in 18 of 27 matches. In addition, Gibson led the league and tied former Aggie All-American Stacy Sykora for the school record with 4.54 digs per game in Big 12 matches only.
Pulaski, from Encinitas, Calif., becomes the first Aggie to receive Newcomer of the Year honors since the league was formed in 1996. The redshirt freshman middle blocker leads the Aggie starters with a .351 hitting percentage. Pulaski has played in every match this season and is second on the team with 1.06 blocks per game.
Marshall spearheads the Aggie defense at the net, capturing team-high honors in blocks in 19 of 27 matches. The senior middle blocker from Carrollton, Texas, is averaging a team-high 1.42 blocks per game for the full season and is second among the starters with 3.47 kills per game and a .311 hitting percentage.
Moscovic, Gibson, Marshall and Pulaski also were members of the Volleyball Academic All-Big 12 first team.
The following is the complete All-Big 12 Conference Volleyball Team:
FIRST TEAM
Name, School Pos. Ht. Cl. Hometown
Laura Pilakowski, Nebraska OH 6-0 So. Columbus, Neb.
Amber Holmquist, Nebraska MB 6-4 So. Houston, Texas
Liz Wegner, Kansas State OH 5-10 Jr. Grand Island, Neb.
Jenny Kropp, Nebraska MB 6-2 Jr. Grand Island, Neb.
Jenna Moscovic, Texas A&M S 5-11 Jr. Stockton, Calif.
Erin Gibson, Texas A&M OH 5-11 Jr. Houston, Texas
Colleen Smith, Texas Tech MB/OH 6-7 Sr. Albuquerque, N.M.
Kelle Branting, Kansas State MB 6-1 Sr. North Platte, Neb.
Stevie Nicholas, Baylor OH 5-10 Fr. Fullerton, Calif.
Elizabeth Gower, Colorado S 6-0 So. Naperville, Ill.
Lisa Morris, Missouri OH 6-0 So. Overland Park, Kan.
Melissa McGehee, Texas Tech S/OH 5-10 So. Kerrville, Texas
HONORABLE MENTION
Name, School Pos. Ht. Cl. Hometown
Heather Gerber, Missouri S 5-9 Sr. Colorado Springs, Colo.
Heather Marshall, Texas A&M MB 6-0 Sr. Carrollton, Texas
Angie Oxley, Nebraska RS 6-0 Sr. Ogallala, Neb.
Disney Bronnenberg, Kansas State S 5-9 Jr. Heltonville, Ind.
Christi Myers, Missouri MB 6-0 So. Raytown, Mo.
Meghan Barkman, Colorado MB 6-2 So. Glen Ellyn, Ill.
(Others receiving votes: Dana Chuha ?" Baylor; Sonja Nielsen ?" Colorado; Stacy
Knicks ?" Iowa State; Amy Myatt, Danielle Geronymo ?" Kansas; Cathy Cook ?"
Oklahoma; Kathy Hahn and Amy Hultgren ?" Texas; Janelle Jones, Skydra Orzen ?"
Texas Tech)
Coach of the Year: Susan Kreklow, Missouri
Player of the Year: Greichaly Cepero, Nebraska
Newcomer of the Year: Tara Pulaski, Texas A&M
Freshman of the Year: Stevie Nicholas, Baylor
Defensive Specialist of the Year: Heather Hughes-Justice, Texas Tech