Huskers Tabbed by Coaches to Win Big 12 Title

Dallas, Texas ? The Nebraska volleyball team was picked to win the Big 12 Conference title in a vote of the league coaches released Monday afternoon.

Nebraska, which finished the 2003 season with a 28-5 record, received 10 of the 11 first-place votes in the conference preseason poll, as the polling was based on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 system with a first-place vote receiving 10 points and a 10th-place vote receiving one. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams.

Kansas State, which won its first league title in 2003, was second with 80 points while Texas (75), Texas A&M (66) and Missouri (64) rounded out the top five in the preseason voting.

The Huskers have won six of the eight league crowns in Big 12 history, including five straight titles from 1998 to 2002, and have won 25 conference titles in the program’s 28-year history. Nebraska finished second to the Wildcats with a 17-3 mark last season.

Nebraska junior middle blocker Melissa Elmer also was tabbed as the Big 12’s Preseason Player of the Year and was the Huskers’ representative on the preseason All-Big 12 team. Elmer earned second-team All-America honors in 2003, leading the Big 12 with 1.59 blocks per game while ranking among the conference leaders with a .352 hitting percentage. She ranked third in school history with 169 block assists, and spent part of the summer with the U.S. National Training Team.

Joining Elmer on the preseason All-Big 12 team are Kansas middle blocker Josiane Lima, Texas A&M middle blocker/outsider hitter Melissa Munsch, Kansas State setter Gabby Guerre, Missouri setter Lindsay Hunter and Texas middle blocker/outside hitter Bethany Howden. 

Freshman outside hitter Sarah Pavan also was honored, as she shared freshman-of-the-year honors with Emily Brown of Kansas. Pavan, a member of the Canadian National Team for the last two years, represented the Canadian Junior National Team at the NORCECA (North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Federation) Championships last week, earning all-tournament honors to help the Canadians finish fourth in the event.

Kansas junior outside hitter Paula Caten rounded out the preseason award winners, as she was selected as the Big 12 Newcomer of the year.

Nebraska opens fall practice on Wednesday and hosts the annual Red/White Scrimmage on Saturday, Aug. 28. The Huskers open the 2004 season at Notre Dame on Sept. 3.

2004 Big 12 Conference Coaches' Preseason Poll:
1. Nebraska 100
2. Kansas State 80
3. Texas 75
4. Texas A&M 66
5. Missouri 64
6. Colorado 55
7. Kansas 50
T8. Baylor 27
T8. Texas Tech 27
10. Iowa State 26
11. Oklahoma 20

(Note: The coaches' poll was based on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 system with a first-place vote receiving 10 points)

Big 12 Conference Preseason Team: Josiane Lima, Kansas; MB; 6-0; Jr.; Sao Paulo, Brazil (Univ. of Sant'anna)Melissa Munsch, Texas A&M; OH/MB; 6-1; Sr.; Columbus, Texas (Columbus) Melissa Elmer, Nebraska; MB; 6-2; Jr.; Fort Wayne, Ind. (Northrop) Gabby Guerre, Kansas State; S; 6-1; Sr.; Houston, Texas (Mayde Creek) Lindsey Hunter, Missouri; S; 5-10; Jr.; Papillion, Neb. (Papillion La Vista) Bethany Howden, Texas; MB/OH; 6-2; Sr.; Austin, Texas (Westlake)

Big 12 Conference Preseason Player of the Year: Melissa Elmer, Nebraska; MB; 6-2; Jr.; Fort Wayne, Ind. (Northrop)

Big 12 Conference Preseason Freshmen of the Year: Emily Brown, Kansas; S/OH; 6-2; Fr.; Baldwin City, Kan. (Baldwin) Sara Pavan, Nebraska; OH; 6-5; Fr.; Kitchener, Ontario, Canada (Forest Heights Collegiate Institute)

Big 12 Conference Preseason Newcomer of the Year: Paula Caten, Kansas; OH; 6-3; Jr.; Canarana, Brazil (Barton County CC)