Oct. 15, 2007

COLUMBIA, Mo.— The Big 12 Conference announced Monday afternoon that Missouri senior Tatum Ailes won the conference's Defensive Player of the Week award. Ailes (Bellevue, Neb.) proved once again last week to be a defensive force in leading the Tigers to sweeps over Texas A&M and Baylor, helping Mizzou (12-6, 5-4 Big 12) to its fifth-straight victory. Ailes tallied 6.67 digs per game, 40 total, in the two matches and maintained a .951 serve-reception percentage in cleanly fielding 39-of-41 serve attempts coming her way last week.

Mizzou now has back-to-back conference award winners for the first time in program history as freshman Weiwen Wang won the Big 12's Offensive Player of the Week award last Monday. This award is also Ailes' first weekly award from the conference. Ailes won Big 12 Libero of the Year honors in 2005.

In Wednesday's match versus Texas A&M, Ailes notched 19 digs while fielding 23-of-24 serve receptions. At Baylor on Saturday, Ailes had 21 digs to go with 15-of-16 serve receiving attempts. In addition, Ailes added two aces in a row in game one to give Mizzou the game one lead over the Bears.

Mizzou has now won five straight on the way to a fifth-place tie with Iowa State in the Big 12 standings and will host No. 1 Nebraska Wednesday and No. 7 Texas on Saturday.

Conference Player of the Week
BIG EIGHT
Oct. 29, 1990	Sherri Gentry
Sep. 14, 1992	Yvette Buhlig
Oct. 26, 1992	Yvette Buhlig
BIG 12
Oct. 16, 2000	Lisa Morris
Nov. 6, 2000	Heather Gerber
Oct. 15, 2001	Naaron Branson
Sep. 9, 2002	Shen Danru
Sep. 30, 2002	Mary Lauren Smith*
Sep. 29, 2003	Shen Danru
Sep. 5, 2005	Lindsey Hunter
Sep. 26, 2005	Nicole Wilson*
Sep. 4, 2006	Jessica Vander Kooi
Sep. 25, 2006	Jessica Vander Kooi*
Oct. 8, 2007	Weiwen Wang (Offensive)
Oct. 15, 2007	Tatum Ailes (Defensive)

2007 BIG 12 OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Aug. 27 -- Sarah Pavan, Nebraska, RS, Sr. 

Sept. 4 -- Nataly Korobkova, Kansas State, OPP, Jr. 

Sept. 10 -- Destinee Hooker, Texas, OH, So. 

Sept. 17 -- Juliann Faucette, Texas, OH, Fr.

Sept. 24 -- Emily Brown, Kansas, OH/S, Sr.

Oct. 1 -- Destinee Hooker, Texas, OH, So.

Oct. 8 -- Weiwen Wang, Missouri, MB, Fr.

Oct. 15 – Michelle Moriarty, Texas, S, Sr.

2007 BIG 12 DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Aug. 27 -- Christina Houghtelling, Nebraska, OH, Sr.

Sept. 4 -- Anna Breyfogle, Baylor, MB, So.

Sept. 10 -- Mariana Blum, Oklahoma, OH, Sr.

Sept. 17 -- Ashley Mass, Iowa State, L, Fr.

Sept. 24 -- Anna Breyfogle, Baylor, MB, So.

Oct. 1 -- Jillian Phillips, Texas A&M, MB, Jr.

Oct. 8 -- Callie Webster, Colorado, L, Jr.

Oct. 15 – Tatum Ailes, Missouri, L, Sr.