Three Nebraska Volleyball Players Earn AVCA All-America Honors

Nebraska seniors Greichaly Cepero, Amber Holmquist and Laura Pilakowski were among the 36 student-athletes named to the 2002 All-America teams released Wednesday by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.

Holmquist, a second-team selection in 2000 and a first-team pick in 2001, and Cepero, a first-team pick in 2000 and a second-team selection in 2001, became the seventh and eighth three-time AVCA All-American in school history. Pilakowski, who earned first-team honors in 2000, was selected as a second-team honoree. Nebraska has produced 22 AVCA All-Americans who have combined to produce 45 awards.

The All-America team is selected by the AVCA Division I All-American committee. By earning an All-America honor, a player becomes eligible for AVCA Player-of-the-Year consideration. The award will be presented at the AVCA All-America/Player-of-the-Year banquet Friday morning at the New Orleans Marriott. This year, the AVCA added a 12-member third-team to its All-America program, increasing the athletes recognized to 36 athletes.

Cepero, a 6-2 senior from Dorado, Puerto Rico, averaged 12.46 assists per game in leading NU to a .322 team hitting percentage in 2002, and she ranks second all-time at Nebraska with 3,987 assists. Easily the best blocking setter in Husker history, Cepero ranks among the career leaders in solo blocks (tied for fourth, 84), block assists (sixth, 423) and total blocks (eighth, 507). The 2000 AVCA Division I Player of the Year, Cepero is a two-time Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-American.

Holmquist, a 6-4 middle blocker from Houston, Texas, owns 14 school records, including career total blocks (728) and career block assists (646). Holmquist also finished her career record second all-time in hitting percentage (.396), fifth in solo blocks (82) and 10th in kills (1,122). A three-time Big 12 blocking champion, Holmquist was ranked first or second nationally all season in blocks per game and led Nebraska in that category with 2.01. Holmquist became the first player in school history to lead Nebraska in blocks per game and hitting percentage for four straight seasons.

Pilakowski, a 6-2 outside hitter from Columbus, Neb., led Nebraska in 2002 with 3.76 kills per game and was the most efficient outside hitter in the Big 12 Conference with a .339 hitting percentage. Pilakowski ended her NU career ranked sixth all-time with a .319 hitting percentage, eighth in kills (1,183) and eighth in attacks (2,661). Equally successful off the court, Pilakowski is a three-time Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-American.