November 28, 2005
Laura Jones of Texas A&M was named to the All-Big 12 Volleyball Team for fourth time in her career, the conference office announced today.
The senior All-American outside hitter is making her third appearance on the Big 12 first team -- she received honorable mention accolades in 2003 -- after leading the conference in both kills and points per game and setting league season records for kills, kills per game and total attacks this year.
Jones is the only player in the league who has tallied 30 or more kills in a match this season, and she has accomplished the feat seven times, including a school-record 38 kills at No. 10 Missouri on Saturday. The Arlington, Texas, native has led the nation in kill average for the majority of the season and has rewritten the A&M career and season records.
Jones has 670 kills this season, shattering the previous A&M record of 577 set by Shelia Morgan in 1993, as well as the former Big 12 record of 622 set by Dawn Cady of Kansas State in 1999. Jones currently is leading the nation with 6.09 kills per game, which would top both the A&M season record of 4.94 which she set last year, as well as the Big 12 record of 5.71 set by Cady in 1999. In addition, Jones?â„¢ 1,594 attack attempts are both A&M and Big 12 season records.
Jones twice earned Big 12 Volleyball Player of the Week honors this year, and was named MVP at the Texas A&M/McDonald?â„¢s Invitational. She also earned all-tournament honors at the UTSA Dome Rally in San Antonio. In addition, Jones was named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team earlier this season.
Nebraska?â„¢s Sarah Pavan was named Player of the Year, and head coach John Cook was chosen Coach of the Year after directing Nebraska to a 19-1 league mark and its eighth Big 12 title in 10 years. The Huskers?â„¢ Jordan Larson was named Freshman of the Year, and senior Jennifer Saleaumua was named Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.
Philister Sang of Texas Tech was voted the Newcomer of the Year, and Missouri?â„¢s Tatum Ailes was tabbed Libero of the Year.
The All-Big 12 honors are selected by the league?â„¢s head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own players. The following is the complete 2005 All-Big 12 Volleyball Team:
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Sarah Pavan, Nebraska, OH, 6-5, So., Kitchener, Ontario/Forest Heights
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Philister Sang, Texas Tech, OH, 6-3, Jr., Nairobi, Kenya/Indian Hills
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Jordan Larson, Nebraska, OH, 6-2, Fr., Hooper, Neb./Logan View
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jennifer Saleaumua, Nebraska, OH, 5-11, Sr., National City, Calif./Bonita Vista
LIBERO OF THE YEAR: Tatum Ailes, Missouri, L, 5-6, So., Bellevue, Neb./Bellevue West
COACH OF THE YEAR: John Cook, Nebraska
ALL-BIG 12 FIRST TEAM
Name, School Pos. Ht. Cl. Hometown/Previous School
Allie Griffin, Colorado, RS, 6-0, Sr., Baton Rouge, La./Santa Fe Christian
Josi Lima, Kansas, MB, 6-0, Sr., Sao Paulo, Brazil/Avanco
Agata Rezende, Kansas State, OH, 6-2, Sr., Franca, Brazil/Western Nebraska CC
Lindsey Hunter, Missouri, S, 5-10, Sr., Papillion, Neb./Papillion-LaVista
Jessica Vander Kooi, Missouri, OH, 6-2, Jr., Merill, Iowa/Hinton
Melissa Elmer, Nebraska, MB, 6-2, Sr., Fort Wayne, Ind./Northrop
Christina Houghtelling, Nebraska, OH, 6-2, Jr., Cambridge, Neb./Cambridge
Sarah Pavan, Nebraska, OH, 6-5, So., Kitchener, Ontario/Forest Heights Collegiate
Leticia Armstrong, Texas, MB, 6-1, So., Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart Central
Brandy Magee, Texas, MB, 6-2, Jr., Mission Viejo, Calif./Capistrano Valley
Michelle Moriarty, Texas, S, 5-10, So., Houston, Texas/Stratford
Laura Jones, Texas A&M, OH, 6-2, Sr., Arlington, Texas/Martin
ALL-BIG 12 HONORABLE MENTION
Name, School Pos. Ht. Cl. Hometown/Previous School
Ashley Nu?â„¢u, Colorado, S, 5-10, Jr., Aurora, Colo./Smoky Hill
Erin Boeve, Iowa State, OH/MB, 6-2, So., Steen, Minn./Hills-Beaver Creek
Nicole Wilson, Missouri, MB, 6-3, Jr., Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln Christian
Jordan Larson, Nebraska, OH, 6-2, Fr., Hooper, Neb./Logan View
Jennifer Saleaumua, Nebraska, OH, 5-11, Sr., National City, Calif./Bonita Vista
Dariam Acevedo, Texas, OH, 5-10, Jr., Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico/Oregon
A&M (16-13) will be making its 13th consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament when the Aggies take on Northwestern Thursday at Notre Dame. The Aggies, who have never lost a first-round match under 13-year coach Laurie Corbelli, finished tied with Iowa State for sixth place in the Big 12 with a 9-11 record.