August 13, 2002
The Texas A&M volleyball team is picked to finish second in the Big 12 Conference, and Aggie Laura Jones, a 6-2 outside hitter, has been tabbed the league's preseason Freshman of the Year, according to a vote of the conference head coaches.
"I am surprised that we were voted second, because many of the other teams in the league return a majority of their starting lineups and we are so inexperienced after losing five starters," A&M coach Laurie Corbelli said. "But the talent we have is very abundant and balanced, and we have more individual power than we have had in the past. I have such strong feelings about the team aspect of the game, and the faster this group learns the system and how to play together at a high level, the closer we will come to contending for the league title."
Four-time defending league champion Nebraska has been selected as the preseason favorite to win the Big 12 title, garnering every first-place vote possible. 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.
The Aggies, who went 16-4 and placed second in the standings for the third consecutive season last year, are followed by Missouri and Colorado, who tied for third. Kansas State, Texas, Baylor and Texas Tech are listed fifth through ninth, respectively, and Iowa State and Oklahoma tied for 10th.
Jones, who earned honorable mention on the Paul Mitchell 2001 High School All-America Team, is the only A&M player recognized in the preseason vote. The Arlington, Texas, native completed a stellar high school career at Martin High School and received area top player honors from both the Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star Telegram. As a member of the USA Youth National Team, Jones helped her team capture the silver medal at the 2000 NORCECA Games in the Dominican Republic, and she also trained with the USA Volleyball Junior National Team during the summer of 2001.
"There are many good freshmen entering the league, and for Laura to be selected as the No. 1 recruit in the Big 12 is a great honor," Corbelli said. "Laura is a complete and versatile player, making her even more of an important contributor this season. She is one of the most advanced and talented freshmen that I have had the luxury to coach, and she will prove that she is one of the top freshmen as well as one of the top players in the league."
Nebraska setter Greichaly Cepero was voted the preseason Player of the Year, and Missouri outside hitter Shen Danru was selected preseason Newcomer of the Year. Cepero is joined by teammates Amber Holmquist and Laura Pilakowski on the six-member Big 12 preseason team. Stevie Nicholas (Baylor), Mira Topic (Texas) and Elizabeth Gower (Colorado) round out the preseason team.
"To be picked second in the league and not have anyone on the preseason team is a tribute to our team play," Corbelli said. 'The combined talents of our individual players results in the strength of our team. Rarely have we felt like one player cold make it or break it for us."
The Aggies begin the season August 30 when they host Alcorn State, LSU and Texas-San Antonio at the McDonald's/Texas A&M Invitational at G. Rollie White Coliseum.
The following is the complete 2002 Big 12 preseason poll and preseason team:
2002 Big 12 Conference Coaches' Preseason Poll
1. Nebraska 100
2. Texas A&M 86
3. Missouri 72
Colorado 72
5. Kansas State 67
6. Texas 64
7. Baylor 45
8. Texas Tech 40
9. Kansas 31
10. Iowa State 14
Oklahoma 14
Big 12 Conference Preseason Team
Greichaly Cepero, Nebraska, S, 6-2, Sr., Dorado, Puerto Rico (McDonogh HS)
Stevie Nicholas, Baylor, OH, 5-10, Jr., Fullerton, Calif. (Sunny Hills HS)
Amber Holmquist, Nebraska, MB, 6-4, Sr., Houston, Texas (Alief Hastings HS)
Mira Topic, Texas, RS/OH, 6-3, So., Kastela Kambelovac, Croatia (Vladimir Nazor HS)
Elizabeth Gower, Colorado, S, 6-0, Sr., Naperville, Ill. (Naperville Central HS)
Laura Pilakowski, Nebraska, OH, 6-1, Sr., Columbus, Neb. (Columbus HS)
Big 12 Conference Preseason Player of the Year
Greichaly Cepero, Nebraska, S, 6-2, Sr., Dorado, Puerto Rico (McDonogh HS)
Big 12 Conference Preseason Newcomer of the Year
Shen Danru, Missouri, OH, 5-11, Fr-RS, Shanghai, China
Big 12 Conference Preseason Freshman of the Year
Laura Jones, Texas A&M, OH, 6-2, Fr., Arlington, Texas (Martin HS)