Aug. 2, 2006

DALLAS - The Big 12 Conference announced Wednesday the preseason coaches' poll and awards for the 2006 volleyball season. Missouri was picked to finish third in this year poll behind Nebraska and Texas. Senior Jessica Vander Kooi, a 2005 AVCA honorable mention All-American, was selected to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team.

Missouri with 79 points in the poll trailed Nebraska and Texas who led with 98 and 93 points, respectively. Nebraska received eight first-place votes, Texas grabbed the remaining three.

The Tigers finished third in the Big 12 in 2005 with a 16-4 record, setting a new school record in conference wins. The Tigers were tied for second with Texas until the final week when the Longhorns knocked off then-No. 1 and undefeated Nebraska to take second outright with a 17-3 record.

Mizzou is coming off the most successful and winningest season in school history, amazing a 25-5 record in 2005 and advancing to the regional final, or round-of-eight in the NCAA Tournament.

Senior outside hitter Jessica Vander Kooi (Hinton, Iowa) was picked to the conference's preseason team for the second-straight season. Although Vander Kooi last season finished in the Big 12's top-10 statistically in only points and service aces, her prowess as an all-around player is what is most frightening to the Tiger opponents. Vander Kooi has found a knack to be at the right place, at the right time. In the match at Nebraska last season, Vander Kooi recorded a 20-20, scoring 23 kills adding 22 digs, and was the vehicle in Mizzou's game one and two wins against the Huskers. In another instance, Vander Kooi recorded nine blocks at Kansas State in a five-game battle. In that match up, Mizzou won the game and the match when K-State hit into three-consecutive Vander Kooi blocks. In another facet, Vander Kooi is an excellent server, as she was in the conference's top-10 in that category in 2005. Vander Kooi's defense is just as brilliant as she had one of the higher dig per game totals for an outside hitter in the conference.

Vander Kooi also worked with Team USA's A2-training team over the spring, and gained mounds of familiarity against, and with, some of the best in the nation.

The Tigers will begin the season at the Long Beach State Invitational on August 25. In the non-conference schedule, Mizzou will face five opponents that reached the NCAA Tournament in 2005. Top-five teams Santa Clara and Penn State are among the Tigers foes in '06.

On August 16, the team will host their annual Black & Gold Match and youth clinic. More information on that event will be available in the coming days. Two-a-day practices begin for the team this upcoming Tuesday, August 8.

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PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Nebraska (8), 98

2. Texas (3), 93

3. Missouri, 79

4. Kansas State, 71

5. Texas A&M, 57

6. Colorado, 51

7. Kansas, 45

8. Iowa State, 37

9. Baylor, 35

10. Oklahoma, 27

11. Texas Tech, 12

 

Note:  Ten points were awarded for first-place votes, nine for second,
etc.  Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team. 

 

Preseason Player of the Year:                  

Sarah Pavan, Nebraska,
OH, Jr., 6-5,  Kitchener, Ontario/Forest Heights Collegiate Institute


Preseason Newcomer of the Year:          

Natalie Uhart, Kansas, MB,
Sr., 6-2, Lansing, Kan./Long Beach State


Preseason Freshman of the Year:            

Ashley Engle, Texas, S/OPP,
Fr., 6-3, Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza HS

 

PRESEASON ALL-BIG 12 TEAM

Desiree Guilliard-Young, Baylor          MB              Sr.
6-5           Berkeley, Calif./Berkeley

Ashley Nu'u Colorado                          S                  Sr.
5-10          Aurora, Colo./Smoky Hill

Erin Boeve, Iowa State                         MB              Jr.
6-2           Steen, Minn./Hills-Beaver Creek

Emily Brown, Kansas                           OPP/S        Jr.
6-2           Baldwin, Kan./Baldwin

Jessica Vander Kooi, Missouri             OH              Sr.
6-2           Hinton, Iowa/Hinton

Jordan Larson, Nebraska                      OH              So.
6-2           Hooper, Neb./Logan View

Sarah Pavan, Nebraska                          OH              Jr.
6-5           Kitchener, Ontario/Forest Heights Collegiate Institute


Eliane Santos, Oklahoma                     MB              Sr.
6-2           Rio de Janeiro, Brazil/College of Southern Idaho

Dariam Acevedo, Texas                        OH              Sr.
5-10          Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico/Oregon

Leticia Armstrong, Texas                      MB              Jr.
6-1           Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart Central

Brandy Magee, Texas                             MB              Sr.
6-2           Mission Viejo, Calif./Capistrano Valley

Michelle Moriarty, Texas                       S                  Jr.
5-10          Houston, Texas/Stratford

Christi Hahn, Texas A&M                    MB/OH     Sr.            6-1
Leander, Texas/Leander  

 

Note:  Twelve players are named to the preseason all-conference team --
a tie occurred in voting to result in 13 members this season.