Nebraska?s Laura Pilakowski and Amber Holmquist were among the 21 student-athletes named to the 2002 Verizon Academic All-America teams selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America. Pilakowski, a senior outside hitter, was one of just six players named to the first team, while Holmquist, a senior middle blocker, was one of the seven second-team members.

Pilakowski, who was a second-team Academic All-American in 2000 and 2001, joins Karen Dahlgren (1984-86), Virginia Stahr (1987-89) and Janet Kruse (1989-91) as the only three-time Academic All-Americans in program history. Holmquist is making her first appearance on the Academic All-American squad and is the 15th player to receive the honor in NU volleyball history. The 15 NU honorees have combined for 25 Academic All-America awards.

Pilakowski, who owns a 3.95 cumulative GPA in marketing, is also a three-time academic All-Big 12 selection. The senior from Columbus, Neb., leads the team with 3.76 kills per game and is the most efficient outside hitter in the Big 12 Conference with a .343 hitting percentage. A three-time first-team All-Big 12 pick and the 2002 Co-Big 12 Player fo the Year, Pilakowski earned first-team AVCA All-America honors as a sophomore in 2000.

Holmquist, who owns a 3.74 GPA in communication studies, is the best blocker and the most efficient attacker in the Big 12 Conference. The Houston, Texas, native averages 2.12 blocks per game, a mark that ranks second in the nation. She also leads the league with a .405 hitting percentage and ranks among the national leaders in that category. A two-time AVCA All-American, Holmquist will likely become the first player in school history to lead NU in blocks per game and hitting percentage in four straight seasons. She already hold 14 school records, including 12 blocking marks.