Both Aggies garnered Big 12 honors at the conclusion of the 2010 season, with Black earning All-Big 12 First Team laurels and Sawatzky (pronounced suh-WATTS-key) receiving All-Big 12 Honorable Mention and Big 12 All-Freshman Team accolades.
Black finished her junior season ranked 25th in the nation in points (4.77) per set and 31st in the nation in kills (4.08). The team captain twice tied the A&M all-time record for aces in a match with six each against Sam Houston State and Pacific, and she led the Big 12 in aces (.37) per set and ranked second in the league in points, fourth in kills and 15th in digs (2.99) per set for the full season.
Black started every match and played in all 113 sets as the Aggies went 13-17, including a 3-0 sweep against No. 8 Texas at Reed Arena. She posted double figures in kills in 25 of 30 matches, including seven matches in which she posted 20 or more kills. Black led or tied for the team lead in kills in all but one match and also led the team with 17 double-doubles.
Sawatzky, a three-time Big 12 Rookie of the Week, led the Aggies and ranked sixth in the Big 12 with 9.71 assists per set for the full season and was seventh in the league with 9.67 assists per season in conference matches only in 2010. She ranked second among A&M players with four double doubles, including career-highs of 56 assists and 15 digs in a five-set victory over North Carolina, as well as 46 assists and a career-high 12 kills while hitting .588 at Oklahoma.
The Aggie volleyball team held its first practice of the preseason today.
The Aggies begin the season August 26-27 at Reed Arena as they host NCAA participants Creighton and UTSA in the Texas A&M Invitational.
PRESEASON ALL-BIG 12 AWARDS
|
Player of the Year: |
Rachael Adams, Texas, MB, Sr., 6-2, Cincinnati, Ohio |
|
Newcomer of the Year: |
Hannah Willms, Iowa State, OH, RS Fr., 6-0, Waterloo, Iowa |
|
Freshman of the Year: |
Khat Bell, Texas, MB.OH, Fr., 6-1, Mesquite, Texas |
PRESEASON ALL-BIG 12 TEAM
|
Name, School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Ht. |
Hometown/Previous School |
|
Torri Campbell |
MB |
Jr. |
6-2 |
Amarillo, Texas/Amarillo |
|
Alison Landwehr, Iowa State |
S |
Jr. |
6-0 |
St. Louis, Mo./Parkway West |
|
Jamie Straube, Iowa State^ |
MB |
Jr. |
6-2 |
Tecumseh, Neb./Johnson County Central |
|
Kaitlynn Pelger, Kansas State |
MB |
So. |
6-0 |
Overland Park, Kan./Olathe South |
|
Brittney Brimmage, Missouri |
MB/OH |
Sr. |
6-3 |
East St. Louis, Ill./East St. Louis |
|
Molly Kreklow, Missouri |
S |
So. |
6-0 |
Delano, Minn./Delano |
|
Brianne Barker, Oklahoma^ |
S |
Sr. |
5-9 |
Amarillo, Texas/Amarillo |
|
Suzy Boulavsky, Oklahoma |
RS/OH |
Sr. |
6-1 |
Houston, Texas/Clear Brook |
|
Sallie McLaurin, Oklahoma |
MB |
So. |
6-2 |
Midwest City, Okla./Carl Albert |
|
Rachael Adams, Texas^ |
MB |
Sr. |
6-2 |
Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame |
|
Amber Roberson, Texas |
OH |
Sr. |
6-2 |
San Antonio, Texas/Wagner |
|
Kelsey Black, Texas A&M^ |
OH |
Sr. |
5-11 |
Amarillo, Texas/Amarillo |
|
Allie Sawatzky, Texas A&M |
S |
So. |
6-2 |
St. Andrews, Manitoba, Canada/Lord Selkirk |
|
Amanda Dowdy, Texas Tech^ |
OH |
Sr. |
6-3 |
Lexington, Texas/Lexington |