Three Tigers Receive Big 12 Volleyball Honors
11/25/2001 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 25, 2001
Columbia, Mo.- Juniors Christi Myers and Lisa Morris were named to the All-Big 12 honorable mention team and senior Kate Sowers was tabbed as the Big 12 Defensive Specialist of the Year, it was announced on Sunday by the Big 12 Conference. This marks the second consecutive year Myers and Morris have been recognized by the Big 12 and is the first such honor for Sowers. The conference accolades were decided though polling of the conference's head coaches.
"Katie, Lisa and Christi have all played extremely crucial roles for us this season and any time members of our squad receive recognition for their play in one of the best conferences in the country, it is definitely something special," head coach Susan Kreklow said. "All three are great competitors and have been instrumental in the turn around our program has experienced over the past two seasons."
Sowers, who is a three-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree the past three seasons, has been fantastic in the back row for the Tigers this season. She is second on the squad in total digs (295) and digs per game (2.71). Sowers has also done well from the service line recording 27 service winners. She has recorded career-highs in digs in a season, service aces in a season and digs in a match in 2001.
"Katie has done a great job for us all year," Kreklow said. "It's nice for someone who has devoted so much time and energy into playing back row, like Katie has, to receive recognition for her contributions."
Myers, who was named also named to the Big 12 honorable mention team in 2000, had an outstanding regular season for the Tigers averaging 3.43 kills, 2.34 digs and a team-best 1.22 blocks per game. Myers currently leads the Big 12 in solo blocks with 22 and needs just two more block assists to move into second place on the MU all-time block assists charts. The 6-1 middle blocker from Raytown, Mo. has recorded 11 double-doubles on the year and was the only Tiger to record a triple double in 2001 with her 18 kill-15 dig-11 block performance against Texas A&M on Sept. 22.
"Christi has been a model of consistency all year," Kreklow said. "She continues to improve her defensive skills and has truly become one of the top blockers and offensive threats in the Big 12."
An All-Big 12 first team selection in 2000, Morris was sidelined by a season-ending shoulder injury after 24 matches this season. However, Morris had posted quality numbers to that point in the season, averaging a team-high 4.10 kills, 2.53 digs and 0.40 digs per game. Morris reached double figures in kills in 21 of the 24 matches she played in and reached the 20-kill plateau four times. She has been selected to the Verizon academic all-district team the past two years receiving second team honors last season and first team honors in 2001. Morris has also been a member the Academic All-Big 12 first team the past two seasons
"Lisa has been a great contributor for us over the past two seasons," Kreklow said. "She has shown a lot of heart and determination to accomplish what she has both on the volleyball court and in the classroom."
The Tigers finished the regular season with a 20-10 overall record and a 10-10 Big 12 Conference mark. Mizzou now awaits word of an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament tomorrow, which will be announced at 2 pm CST.
