Nov. 25, 2001

WACO, Texas - Baylor sophomore outside hitter Stevie Nicholas earned first-team all-Big 12 Conference volleyball honors for the second straight season the league office announced Sunday. Senior setter Dana Chuha was an honorable mention selection, giving Baylor two all-conference honorees for just the second time in the conference's six-season history.

The 2000 Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Nicholas did not drop any during her second collegiate season. After leading the conference in kills per game last season, she is a lock to lead again with 5.29 per game through the regular season. Saturday against Missouri, she notched her school-record seventh career match with 30 or more kills.

Nicholas, a Fullerton, Calif., native, joins Elisha Polk (1998-1999) and Cory Sivertson (1992-1993-1994) as the only Baylor volleyball players to ever earn all-conference honors twice. Her 2001 kills per game average ranks second all-time at Baylor behind only her freshman average of 5.63. Nicholas leads the Big 12 with 0.52 service aces per game, a Baylor record, she also has averaged 3.08 digs and 0.57 blocks per game.

The two-time defending NCAA assists per game champion, Chuha earns all-conference honors for the first time in her career. She entered the final week of the regular season third in the conference in assists per game this season, she finished the regular season with 13.41 per game. Saturday, she passed Sivertson on Baylor's career assists chart and now has 4,903 in her career.

Chuha also averaged career bests with 1.23 kills and 2.61 digs per game. She also averaged 0.53 blocks per game, two hundredths of a point off her career-best average from last season. Chuha, who owns every assist record in Baylor history, tallied 71 assists Saturday in the regular-season finale against Missouri, stretching her Baylor and Big 12 record to 13 career matches with at least 70 assists.

Baylor, 18-11 overall on the season and 9-11 in the Big 12, will learn its NCAA Tournament fate Monday afternoon.

2001 ALL-BIG 12 CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL TEAM

FIRST TEAM
Name, School			Pos.	Ht.	Cl.	Hometown
Nancy Metcalf, Nebraska		RS	6-1	Sr.	Hull, Iowa
Greichaly Cepero, Nebraska	S	6-2	Jr.	Dorado, Puerto Rico
Jenna Moscovic, Texas A&M	S	5-11	Sr. 	Stockton, Calif.
Amber Holmquist, Nebraska	MB	6-4	Jr.	Houston, Texas
Jenny Kropp, Nebraska		MB	6-2	Sr.	Grand Island, Neb.
Stevie Nicholas, Baylor		OH	5-10	So.	Fullerton, Calif.
Michelle Cole, Texas A&M	OH	6-0	Sr.	Temecula, Calif.
Laura Pilakowski, Nebraska	OH	6-0	So.	Columbus, Neb.
Elizabeth Gower, Colorado	S	6-0	Jr.	Naperville, Ill.
Mira Topic, Texas		OH	6-2	Fr.	Kambelovac, Croatia
Meghan Barkman, Colorado	MB 	6-2	Jr.	Glen Ellyn, Ill.
*Lisa Mimick, Kansas State	OH	5-11	Sr.	Spencer, Neb.
*Liz Wegner, Kansas State	OH	5-10	Sr.	Grand Island, Neb.


* - Denotes that a tie occurred in the voting.


HONORABLE MENTION
Name, School			Pos.	Ht.	Cl.	Hometown
Bethany Howden, Texas		MB	6-2	Fr.	Austin, Texas
Christi Myers, Missouri		MB	6-1	Jr. 	Raytown, Mo.
Lisa Morris, Missouri		OH	6-0	Jr. 	Overland Park, Kan.
Melissa McGehee, Texas Tech	OH	5-10	Jr.	Kerrville, Texas
Monique Gerlach, Colorado	MB	5-11	So.	Monarch Beach, Calif.
*Dana Chuha, Baylor		S	5-11 	Sr.	Yorba Linda, Calif.
*Molly LaMere, Kansas		S	5-7	Sr. 	Papillion, Neb.

(Others receiving votes:  Lauren Goehring - Kansas State, Gabby Guerre - Kansas State,
Erin Lechler - Texas A&M, Brandi Mount - Texas A&M, Skydra Orzen - Texas Tech)

Coach of the Year:  John Cook, Nebraska
Player of the Year:  Nancy Metcalf, Nebraska
Newcomer of the Year:  Kelly Johnson, Texas Tech
Freshman of the Year:  Mira Topic, Texas
Defensive Specialist of the Year:  Katie Sowers, Missouri

* - Denotes that a tie occurred in the voting.