December 02, 2002
The Big 12 Conference office announced a revised all-conference team today, and Texas A&M's Melissa Munsch moved up to the first team. She joins Aggie teammate Laura Jones, the Big 12 Freshman of the Year, on the first team.
The original Big 12 announcement included only nine players on the first team, including the tri-players of the year, Amber Holmquist, Laura Pilakowski and Greichaly Cepero of Nebraska. Twelve slots were to have been filled in addition to the players of the year. Because of ties in voting, a total of 16 players now make up the first team, as selected by the league coaches.
Jones, an outside hitter from Arlington, Texas, hit .272 in the regular season and leads the Aggies in kills (3.79), aces (0.38) and points (4.44) per game. Her 402 total kills is an A&M freshman season record. Jones started 27 of 29 matches, including all 20 conference matches, and hit .244 and averaged a team-best 3.92 kills, 0.26 aces and 4.49 points per game in conference matches only.
Jones, who also was named the league's Preseason Freshman of the Year, received tournament MVP laurels at the McDonald's Texas A&M Invitational II earlier this season after leading the Aggies to the tournament title.
Munsch, an outside hitter from Columbus, Texas, has started every match this season and leads the team with 3.48 digs per game. In addition, the 6-2 sophomore has posted a team-leading 19 double-doubles (kills-digs). She has led or tied for team-high honors in kills in 12 matches and in digs in 16 contests, the most by an A&M player this season in both categories.
Munsch, who earned all-tournament honors at both the McDonald's Texas A&M Invitational II and the Wisconsin InnTowner Classic, posted a career-high 25 kills against Colorado and a career-high 25 digs against Louisiana-Lafayette to mark the best single match performances on the team this year.
Holmquist, Pilakowski and Cepero were named Tri-Players of the Year after leading the Huskers to their fifth consecutive Big 12 title. Kansas' Josiane Lima and Jennifer Kraft were named the Newcomer of the Year and Defensive Specialist of the Year. Laura Downey-Wallace of Kansas State was named the Libero of the Year, and her coach, Suzie Fritz, was named Coach of the Year.
The following is the complete 2002 All-Big 12 Conference Volleyball Team:
2002 ALL-BIG 12 CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL TEAM
FIRST TEAM
Name, School Pos. Ht. Cl. Hometown
Amber Holmquist, Nebraska MB 6-4 Sr. Houston, Texas
Laura Pilakowski, Nebraska OH 6-1 Sr. Columbus, Nebraska
Greichaly Cepero, Nebraska S 6-2 Sr. Dorado, Puerto Rico
Lauren Goehring, Kansas St MB 6-1 Jr. Fort Worth, Texas
Christi Myers, Missouri MB 6-1 Sr. Raytown, Mo.
Mira Topic, Texas OH 6-2 So. Kambelovac, Croatia
Laura Jones, Texas A&M OH 6-2 Fr. Arlington, Texas
Monique Gerlach, Colorado MB 5-11 Jr. Monarch Beach, Calif.
Kelly Johnson, Texas Tech OH 5-10 So. Fort Worth, Texas
Josiane Lima, Kansas MB 6-0 Fr. Sao Paulo, Brazil
Bethany Howden, Texas OH/MB 6-2 So. Austin, Texas
*Cari Jensen, Kansas State OH 6-0 Jr. Fowler, Colo.
*Melissa Munsch, Texas A&M OH 6-2 So. Columbus, Texas
Gabby Guerre, Kansas State S 6-1 So. Houston, Texas
Jennifer Saleaumua, Nebraska OH 5-11 Fr. National City, Calif.
Kathy Hahn, Texas MB 6-2 So. Leander, Texas
* - Denotes that a tie occurred in the voting.
HONORABLE MENTION
Name, School Pos. Ht. Cl. Hometown
Jennifer Saleaumua, Nebraska OH 5-11 Fr. National City, Calif.
Lindsey Hunter, Missouri S 5-10 Fr. Papillion, Neb.
Mary Lauren Smith, Missouri OH 5-10 Jr. St. Joseph, Mo.
Shen Danru, Missouri OH 5-11 Fr. Shanghai, China
Tisha Schwartz, Baylor OH/MB 6-3 Jr. Amarillo, Texas
Laura Downey-Wallace, KSU LIB/S 5-9 Jr. La Mesa, Calif.
Ashley Michaels, Kansas MB 6-1 So. Wathena, Kan.
(Others receiving votes: Megan O'Connell - Oklahoma, Mandi Harms - Iowa State, Melissa Elmer - Nebraska, Tara Pulaski - Texas A&M)
Coach of the Year: Susie Fritz, Kansas State
Players of the Year: Amber Holmquist, Nebraska; Laura Pilakowski, Nebraska; Greichaly Cepero, Nebraska
Newcomer of the Year: Josiane Lima, Kansas
Freshman of the Year: Laura Jones, Texas A&M
Defensive Specialist of the Year: Jennifer Kraft, Kansas
Libero of the Year: Laura Downey-Wallace, Kansas State