Cooper Named First-Team Academic All-American

Lincoln ? Nebraska senior middle blocker Kori Cooper joins an elite level of Husker volleyball scholar-athletes, as she was named a first-team ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American Monday afternoon.

A speech language pathology major with a 3.81 GPA, Cooper is just the sixth Husker volleyball player to be a two-time first-team Academic All-American. She joins a distinguished roster that includes Christina Houghtelling (2005, 2007), Sarah Pavan (2005-07), Janet Kruse (1990-91), Virginia Stahr (1987-89) and Karen Dahlgren (1985-86).

Cooper was the only repeat first-team selection on the six-member team, which is chosen in national voting. The Amarillo, Texas, native becomes Nebraska’s 36th Academic All-American in volleyball, a total that is the most of any female athletic program in the NCAA.

This season, Cooper has bounced back from season-ending knee surgery last year to help the Huskers to a 21-6 mark and a No. 8 ranking in the AVCA poll. She is averaging a career-high 2.44 kills and 0.88 blocks per set, leading the Big 12 in hitting percentage. She also tops all players in conference action, hitting at a .393 clip.

Cooper has had five matches with at least 10 kills, including a career-high 16 kills on .414 hitting against No. 14 Iowa State on Oct. 21. A four-year starter, Cooper has 688 kills and 305 blocks at Nebraska and ranks fifth all-time with a career .367 hitting percentage.

In the classroom, she is a seven-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor roll and has been active in NU’s Life Skills program, speaking at schools and volunteering at retirement homes. She is slated to graduate next month and is already taking graduate-level courses.

2009 ESPN THE MAGAZINE Academic All-America? Volleyball Team (University Division) as selected by CoSIDA (first-team selections)

Name	School	Yr.	Hometown	GPA	Major
Jessica Boulavsky	Rice	Sr.	Houston, Tex.	4.00	Psychology, Pre-Med
Kori Cooper	Nebraska	Sr.	Amarillo, Tex.	3.81	Speech & Language Path.
Molly Davis	SE Missouri State	Sr.	Muncie, Ind.	4.00	Sports Management
Meagan Dooley	Pittsburgh	Sr.	West Chester, Pa.	4.00	Liberal Studies/Spec. Educ.
Megan Hodge	Penn State	Sr.	Durham, N.C.	3.45	Business Management
Rachael Moss	Duke	Sr.	Cypress, Cal.	3.94	Political Science