Aug. 7, 2001

DALLAS, Texas - Kansas State was selected to finish in a tie for fourth place with Missouri in the annual Big 12 Conference Coaches Poll released Monday by the league office.

Nebraska was the preseason selection to win the 2001 Big 12 Conference volleyball title, while Husker setter Greichaly Cepero was the preseason volleyball Player of the Year.

The defending national champion Huskers received 10 of the 11 first-place votes in the conference preseason poll. Texas A&M had one first-place vote. 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. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team. Nebraska looks to claim its fourth consecutive title this season, after winning four of the five conference championships since the Big 12's inception in 1996 - Texas won top honors in 1997.

Texas A&M is picked to place second during the 2001 campaign, after tying for second place with Kansas State and Missouri in last year's final conference standings. The Aggies are followed by Colorado (third), Kansas State (tie-fourth) and Missouri (tie-fourth), filling the top five spots. Texas Tech, Baylor, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Iowa State hold the sixth-11th positions, respectively.

Cepero earned top honors as the preseason Player of the Year for the second straight year. Last year the Dorado, Puerto Rico, native shared the title with Texas A&M's Jenna Moscovic. During the 2000 campaign, Cepero led her team to a national championship and received several honors including AVCA Division I National Volleyball Player of the Year, Big 12 Volleyball Player of the Year, Big 12 Female Athlete of the Year and NCAA Volleyball Tournament Central Region MVP.

The league coaches voted Baylor's Laura Daniela Lloreda the Newcomer of the Year. Lloreda, who hails from Veracruz, Mexico, is a transfer from Universidad de las Americas. The 5-11 outside hitter/setter has played on the Mexican senior national team, and also has competed in three world championships. Lloreda will be a sophomore at Baylor this season.

Allyne Rebholz of Nebraksa was selected Freshman of the Year. Rebholz, a 6-1 middle blocker, attended Cathedral High School in Indianapolis, Ind. The freshman Husker was named the Indiana Metro Player of the Year twice in her high school career and was a member of the U.S. Junior National Volleyball Team.

Nebraska will be the first Big 12 Conference team to compete in 2001 when the Huskers open their season Aug. 24 versus Hawaii at the NACWAA/State Farm Classic in Stockton, Calif.

2001 Big 12 Conference Coaches' Preseason Poll 1. Nebraska (100) 2. Texas A&M (90) 3. Colorado (74) 4. Kansas State (69) Missouri (69) 6. Texas Tech (52) 7. Baylor (48) 8. Texas (46) 9. Kansas (28) 10. Oklahoma (19) 11. Iowa State (10)

2001 Big 12 Conference Preseason Team Stevie Nicholas, Baylor Elizabeth Gower, Colorado *Liz Wegner, Kansas State Greichaly Cepero, Nebraska *Nancy Metcalf, Nebraska *Laura Pilakowski, Nebraska *Jenna Moscovic, Texas A&M

Big 12 Conference Preseason Player of the Year Greichaly Cepero, Nebraska

Big 12 Conference Preseason Newcomer of the Year Laura Daniela Lloreda, Baylor

Big 12 Conference Preseason Freshman of the Year Allyne Rebholz, Nebraska

*Denotes ties occurred in voting.