November 19, 2002
Texas A&M's Rebecca Wynalda and Tara Pulaski were named to the Volleyball Academic All-Big 12 first team, and Carol Price was named to the second team, the league office announced today. In addition, Wynalda is among an elite group of three student-athletes on the 50-member Big 12 Academic Team to sport a cumulative 4.00 grade-point average (gpa).
A junior from Kennedale, Texas, Wynalda is averaging 1.87 digs per game and has appeared in every match and in 98 of 99 games this season. She has reached double figures in digs in eight matches and has led the team in digs in three matches.
Wynalda, who was named to the 2002 Verizon Academic All-District VI volleyball second team by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) earlier this month, is a member of the Professional Program in Accounting at Texas A&M and is concurrently pursuing both her bachelor's and master's degrees in accounting.
Pulaski, who also is pursuing both her bachelor's and master's degrees in accounting as a member of A&M's Professional Program in Accounting, is making her third consecutive appearance on the academic first team. A junior middle blocker from Encinitas, Calif., Pulaski has started every match for the Aggies this season and leads the team in both hitting percentage (.315) and blocks per game (1.06).
Price, a junior right-side hitter, has played in all but one match and started 17 this year. She is second among starters with a .298 hitting percentage and 0.79 blocks per game in Big 12 matches only. A horticultural major from Fenton, Mich., Price became the first Aggie to garner Big 12 Player of the Week laurels (Oct. 27-Nov. 2) this season after registering back-to-back career performances while leading A&M to victories over Oklahoma and Colorado.
Nominated by each institution's student-athlete support services and the sports information offices, the volleyball academic all-league squad consists of 44 first-team members combined with six members on the second team. First-team members have maintained a 3.2 or better gpa, while the second team members are those who have a 3.0 to 3.19 gpa.
To qualify, student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 gpa or higher either cumulative for the two previous semesters and must have participated in 60 percent of her team's scheduled matches. Freshmen and transfers are not eligible 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 (18-8, 10-7 Big 12) return to action Saturday, Nov. 23 when they face the Texas Tech Red Raiders in Lubbock. First serve is slated for 7 p.m. at the United Spirit Arena.
A&M concludes its regular-season home schedule against Texas on Wednesday, Nov. 27, at 7 p.m. at G. Rollie White Coliseum. Aggie seniors A.D. Achilefu and Julia Rex will be honored prior to the match.