Volleyball: Nicholas Named AVCA Central Region Freshman Of The Year
12/6/2000 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Dec. 6, 2000
WACO, Texas - Baylor freshman outside hitter Stevie Nicholas added to her long list of accolades Monday as the Fullerton, Calif., native was named Central Region Freshman of the Year by the American Volleyball Coaches' Association.
Nicholas enjoyed the finest freshman season in the 23-season history of Baylor volleyball, breaking a half dozen school records and establishing new all-time Baylor freshman highs in nearly 20 categories. Included in those lists was a 5.68 kills per game average that ranked seventh nationally and led the Big 12. Nicholas also enjoyed a school-record stretch of six consecutive matches with at least 20 kills.
This is the second freshman of the year honor for Nicholas, who was so honored by the Big 12 Conference two weeks ago. A first-team all-conference selection, she is the first Baylor volleyball player to win either award. Nicholas also received all-tournament honors at each of Baylor's three in-season tournaments, winning most valuable player honors at the Rice Invitational, and she was named Big 12 Player of the Week Sept. 18.
Nicholas burst on the collegiate volleyball scene with a 16 kills and a .433 attacking percentage in her first career match. She went on to collect at least 10 kills in each of her first 16 collegiate matches, also a school record, and was held under 10 kills just once in 31 matches this season.
2000 AVCA All-Central Region Team Name School Pos. Cl. Kelle Branting Kansas State MB Sr. Greichaly Cepero Nebraska S So. Erin Gibson Texas A&M OH Jr. Elizabeth Gower Colorado S So. Kendra Haselhorst**** Illinois State MB Sr. Amber Holmquist Nebraska MB So. Jenny Kropp Nebraska MB Jr. Melissa McGehee Texas Tech RS So. Jenna Moscovic ** Texas A&M S Jr. Laura Pilakowski Nebraska OH So. Colleen Smith Texas Tech OH Sr. Liz Wegner Kansas State OH Jr.Central Region Freshman of the Year: Stevie Nicholas, Baylor
