MANHATTAN, Kan. The Big 12 Conference announced its awards for the 2008 volleyball season and three Kansas State players received recognition. Seniors Rita Liliom and Nataly Korobkova both were selected to the All-Big 12 First Team by the coaches with fellow senior Megan Farr earning Honorable Mention.

Liliom finished the regular season with 483 kills which is tied for sixth in a season in K-State history. Her 4.13 kills per set also ranks 10th and tied with Destinee Hooker of Texas for the conference lead. She tallied double-digit kills in every match but one this season marking the second time in school history the feat has been accomplished. Liliom posted a season-high 23 kills in a come-from-behind win at Baylor and also reached 20 kills in six matches.

Korobkova backed her All-American season last year with another strong showing. She averaged 3.23 kills per set and pounded out 375 on the year. Korobkova also averaged 0.94 blocks per set to rank ninth in the conference. She reached double digits in kills in 19 matches posting 20-plus in three of them. Korobkova posted her highest kill total in a five-set loss to Texas with 23.

Megan Farr earned her second straight All-Big 12 Honorable Mention after averaging 1.24 blocks per set and hitting .350 from her middle blocker position. Farr finished third in the Big 12 in blocks per set and was second in conference matches only. She hit at least .300 in 20 of K-State’s 31 matches this season and posted five or more blocks 15 times. She posted her season total against Oklahoma when she was in on nine blocks. Farr also had a strong showing on the road against Texas A&M with eight block assists in just three sets.

Liliom’s and Korobkova’s selection to the first team brings K-State’s total to 14 first team members in head coach Suzie Fritz’s eight seasons. The addition of Farr to honorable mention brings the total All-Big 12 awards to 22.

2008 ALL-BIG 12 VOLLEYBALL AWARDS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jordan Larson, Nebraska, OH, Sr., 6-2, Hooper, Neb./Logan View

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR:  Sydney Anderson, Nebraska, So., S, 6-0, Salt Lake City, Utah/Utah

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:  Michelle Kocher, Texas, S, 5-10, Wheaton, Ill./St. Francis

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jordan Larson, Nebraska, OH, Sr., 6-2, Hooper, Neb./Logan View       

LIBERO OF THE YEAR: Ashley Mass, Iowa State, L, So., 5-8, Muskego, Wis./Muskego              

COACH OF THE YEAR:  John Cook, Nebraska                  

ALL-BIG 12 FIRST TEAM

Name, School                              Pos.  Cl.   Ht.   Hometown/Previous School

Taylor Barnes, Baylor                    S     Jr.   5-11  Arlington, Texas/Martin

Anna Breyfogle, Baylor                MB    Jr.   6-0   Buda, Texas/Hays

Victoria Henson, Iowa State         OH    So.   5-11  Leavenworth, Kan./Leavenworth

Kaylee Manns, Iowa State             S     Jr.   5-10  Topeka, Kan./Washburn Rural

Rita Liliom, Kansas State            OH    Sr.   6-0   Budapest, Hungary/Csik Ferenc 

Nataly Korobkova, Kansas State OPP   Sr.   6-3   Krasnoyarsk, Russia/State Siberian Tech.

Sydney Anderson, Nebraska         S     So.   6-0   Salt Lake City, Utah/Utah

Kori Cooper, Nebraska                MB    Jr.   6-2   Amarillo, Texas/Amarillo 

Jordan Larson, Nebraska             OH    Sr.   6-2   Hooper, Neb./Logan View

Tara Mueller, Nebraska               OH    So.   6-0   Scottsdale, Ariz./Desert Mountain 

Ashley Engle, Texas                 OPP   Jr.   6-3   Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza

Juliann Faucette, Texas              OH    So.   6-2   San Diego, Calif./Westview

Destinee Hooker, Texas              OH    Jr.   6-4   San Antonio, Texas/Southwest

Lauren Paolini, Texas                 MB    Sr.   6-5   Ann Arbor, Mich./Saline

ALL-BIG 12 HONORABLE MENTION

Name, School                           Pos.  Cl.   Ht.   Hometown/Previous School

Jen Malcom, Iowa State             MB    Sr.   6-1   Schaller, Iowa/Syracuse

Ashley Mass, Iowa State              L     So.  5-8   Muskego, Wis./Muskego

Megan Farr, Kansas State       MB    Sr.  5-10  Manhattan, Kan./Manhattan

Amanda Gates, Nebraska          MB    Sr.   6-2   Columbus, Neb./Columbus

Sarah Ammerman, Texas A&M  OH     Jr.   6-2   Parker, Colo./Chaparral

Mary Batis, Texas A&M            OH     Jr.   6-0   San Antonio, Texas/Clark 

ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM

Name, School                         Pos.  Ht.   Hometown/Previous School

Rachel Hockaday, Iowa State   OH    6-0   Decatur, Ill./Maroa-Forsyth       

Nicole Tate, Kansas                 S     5-10  St. Louis, Mo./Lindbergh

Brianne Barker, Oklahoma        S     5-9   Amarillo, Texas/Amarillo

Caitlin Higgins, Oklahoma        OH    6-0   Amarillo, Texas/Tascosa

Michelle Kocher, Texas            S     5-10  Wheaton, Ill./St. Francis

Amanda Dowdy, Texas Tech   MB    6-3   Lexington, Texas/Lexington

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