August 07, 2001
The Texas A&M volleyball team is picked to place second behind defending national champion Nebraska in the race for the 2001 Big 12 Conference title according to a preseason poll of the league coaches. In addition, Aggie senior setter Jenna Moscovic of Stockton, Calif., is one of seven players named to the coaches’ Big 12 Conference Preseason Team.
Three-time defending conference champion Nebraska received 10 of the 11 first-place votes, and A&M received one first-place vote. The polling was based on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 system with a first-place vote receiving 10 points. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.
Colorado is picked to finish behind the Aggies, who tied with Missouri and Kansas State for second place last season with a 14-6 record. Kansas State and Missouri are tied for fourth in the preseason poll and are followed by Texas Tech, Baylor, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Iowa State.
Husker junior setter Greichaly Cepero, the 2000 NCAA Player of the Year, was selected to repeat as Big 12 Player of the Year and is joined on the Big 12 Preseason Team by teammates Nancy Metcalf and Laura Pilakowski.
Moscovic, a two-time member of the All-Big 12 Conference Team and the 1998 Big 12 Freshman of the Year, also is on the preseason team along with Stevie Nicholas of Baylor, Elizabeth Gower of Colorado and Liz Wegner of Kansas State.
Baylor’s Laura Daniela Lloreda was chosen as the preseason Newcomer of the Year, and Nebraska’s Allyne Rebholz was tabbed the preseason Freshman of the Year.
The Aggies, who report to campus Wednesday, August 8, and begin two-a-day workouts on August 15, return six starters from last year’s team that went 20-9 after advancing to the NCAA second round. They begin the season August 31 against Samford at the Crowne Plaza/Rice Invitational in Houston. A&M also is set to face Houston, Stephen F. Austin, and Rice in the tournament before playing its home opener against Texas-San Antonio on September 4.
A&M welcomes perennial powerhouse Stanford along with highly respected Florida State to the Verizon Aggie Classic on Sept. 8-9 before opening Big 12 play at Oklahoma on Sept. 12. Visit www.AggieAthletics.com/sports/volleyball for the complete schedule.
Tickets to all home matches are available by calling the A&M ticket office at 1-888-99-Aggie.
The following are the complete results of the Big 12 Conference Coaches’ Preseason Poll:
2001 Big 12 Conference Coaches’ Preseason Poll
1. Nebraska 100
2. Texas A&M 90
3. Colorado 74
4. Kansas State 69
Missouri 69
6. Texas Tech 52
7. Baylor 48
8. Texas 46
9. Kansas 28
10. Oklahoma 19
11. Iowa State 10
Big 12 Conference Preseason Team:
Stevie Nicholas, Baylor OH 5-10 So-1L Fullerton, Calif. (Sunny Hills)
Elizabeth Gower, Colorado S 6-0 Jr-2L Naperville, Ill. (Naperville Central)
*Liz Wegner, Kansas State OH 5-10 Sr-3L Grand Island, Neb. (Grand Island)
Greichaly Cepero, Nebraska S 6-2 Jr-2L Dorado, Puerto Rico (McDonogh)
*Nancy Metcalf, Nebraska OH 6-1 Sr-3L Hull, Iowa (Western Christian)
*Laura Pilakowski, Nebraska OH/MB 6-1 Jr-2L Columbus, Neb. (Columbus)
*Jenna Moscovic, Texas A&M S 5-11 Sr-3L Stockton, Calif. (St. Mary’s)
Big 12 Conference Preseason Player of the Year:
Greichaly Cepero, Nebraska S 6-2 Jr-2L Dorado, Puerto Rico (McDonogh)
Big 12 Conference Preseason Newcomer of the Year:
Laura Daniela Lloreda, Baylor OH/S 5-11 So-TR Veracruz, Mexico
(Universidad de las Americas)
Big 12 Conference Preseason Freshman of the Year:
Allyne Rebholz, Nebraska MB 6-1 Fr-HS Indianapolis, Ind. (Cathedral)
* - Denotes ties occurred in voting