Nebraska senior middle blocker Amber Holmquist, senior outside hitter Laura Pilakowski and senior setter Greichaly Cepero were named 2002 Big 12 Volleyball Co-Players of the Year in a vote by the league?s head coaches released by the conference office Sunday night.
Holmquist, Pilakowski and Cepero led Nebraska to a 28-1 overall record and a 20-0 Big 12 mark prior to NCAA tournaments. Holmquist, a 6-4 senior middle blocker, led the conference in hitting percentage (.424) and blocks per game (2.27) this season and broke the Big 12 Conference record for block assists in a three-game match with 13. A two-time AVCA All-American, Holmquist was named the AVCA/Sports Imports National Player of the Week Nov. 25.
Pilakowski also enjoyed a stellar senior season for NU, amassing a .343 hitting percentage (.343) and a team-best 3.76 kills per game. The Columbus, Neb., native ranks second on the Huskers with 4.70 points per game and third on her squad with a 2.81 digs per game average. A two-time Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-American, Pilakowski was also named Big 12 Player of the Week for her performance during the week of Oct.21.
Cepero, who was also the 2000 Big 12 Player of the Year, averaged 12.45 assists per game, 1.22 blocks per game, 2.45 digs per game and 2.59 points per game for the Huskers. The senior setter from Dorado, Puerto Rico, also tallied 225 points on the season.
Nebraska freshman right side hitter Jennifer Saleaumua earned honorable-mention All-Big 12 honors. Saleaumua, a native of National City, Calif., is averagine 2.92 kills per game on a .298 hitting percentage to go along with 3.02 digs per game.
Kansas State Coach Suzie Fritz was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year. Fritz guided KSU to a 16-4 mark and a second-place finish in the conference.
Other Big 12 honorees Josiane Lima of Kansas, who was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year; Laura Jones of Texas A&M, who was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year; Kansas? Jennifer Kraft, who earned Big 12 Defensive Specialist-of-the-Year honors, and Kansas State?s Laura Downey-Wallace, who was awarded Big 12 Libero-of-the-Year honors.
2002 ALL-BIG 12 CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL TEAM
FIRST TEAM
Name, School, Pos., Ht., Cl., Hometown
Monique Gerlach, Colorado, MB, 5-11, Jr., Monarch Beach, Calif.
Lauren Goehring, Kansas State, MB, 6-1, Jr., Fort Worth, Texas
Christi Myers, Missouri, MB, 6-1 Sr. Raytown, Mo.
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
Mira Topic, Texas, OH, 6-2, So., Kambelovac, Croatia
Laura Jones, Texas, A&M,OH, 6-2, Fr., Arlington, Texas
Kelly Johnson,Texas Tech, OH, 5-10, So., Fort Worth, Texas
HONORABLE MENTION
Name, School, Pos., Ht., Cl,. Hometown
Josiane Lima, Kansas, MB, 6-0, Fr., Sao Paulo, Brazil
Bethany Howden, Texas, OH/MB, 6-2, So., Austin, 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
*Cari Jensen, Kansas State, OH, 6-0, Jr., Fowler, Colo.
*Melissa Munsch, Texas A&M, OH, 6-2, So., Columbus, Texas
* - Denotes that a tie occurred in the voting.
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
Courtesy: Scott Bruhn/NU Media Relations
