November 15, 2005
Texas A&M landed a league-leading nine student-athletes on the 2005 Academic All-Big 12 Volleyball First Team, the league office announced today.
Special recognition went to A&M junior middle blocker Christi Hahn, who is one of three on the 61-member team to sport a 4.00 grade-point average (GPA). This is the second consecutive year the kinesiology major from Leander, Texas, has been honored for having a perfect GPA.
Joining Hahn on the first team is senior setter Kari Kelley, who is making her second appearance on the first team, as well as seniors Holly Clay and Laura Jones, both second-team members a year ago.
Also named to the first team are seniors Cristin Burton and Kendra Felder, as well as Meghan Kainz, Courtney McCrocklin and Jen Moore, all three of whom became eligible for the first time this year because of their sophomore status.
The nine members mark A&M?â„¢s largest representation on the academic team since the Big 12 began competition in 1996. The 2000 Aggie squad had seven players named to the team, six of whom were on the first team. The 1998 team also had seven players on the team with five earning first-team honors.
Kansas State ranks second to A&M for most members on the 2005 academic team with six on the first team and eight total on both the first and second teams.
Nominated by each institution's student-athlete support services and sports information offices, the volleyball academic all-league squad consists of 52 first-team members and nine members on the second team. First-team members have maintained a 3.2 or better GPA either cumulative or in each of the past two semesters, while the second team members are those who have a 3.0 to 3.19 GPA in each of the previous two semesters.
In addition to academic requirements, student-athletes must have participated in 60 percent of her team's scheduled matches to qualify. 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 (12-12, 5-10 Big 12) return to action Wednesday when they play host to the Kansas Jayhawks. First serve is at 6:30 p.m. at G. Rollie White Coliseum.
The following is the list of A&M players named to the Academic All-Big 12 Volleyball First Team, along with classification, major and hometown.
Cristin Burton, Sr., Horticulture, Livingston, Texas
Holly Clay, Sr., Speech Communication, Houston, Texas
Kendra Felder, Sr., Agricultural Development, Corpus Christi, Texas
*Christi Hahn, Jr., Kinesiology, Leander, Texas
Laura Jones, Sr., Agricultural Development, Arlington, Texas
Meghan Kainz, So., General Studies, Austin, Texas
Kari Kelley, Sr., Speech, Communication, Houston, Texas
Courtney McCrocklin, So., General Studies, Wimberley, Texas
Jen Moore, So., Speech Communication, Allen, Texas
* indicates 4.00 grade-point average