VB Picked Sixth, Two Named All-Big 12
8/12/2010 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Aug. 12, 2010
IRVING, Texas - Baylor's volleyball team was picked to finish sixth in the Big 12 by the league's coaches in the preseason poll released Thursday by conference officials. Sophomore Torri Campbell and senior Ashlie Christenson were each named to the 17-member Preseason All-Big 12 Team.
Baylor, which finished in a tie for fourth with an 11-9 conference record last season, was voted to finish just below Oklahoma (fourth, 65 points) and Missouri (fifth, 63), but four points ahead of Texas A&M with a total of 52 points. Nebraska, who was picked to win the league, received nine first-place votes and a total of 98 points, while defending conference champion Texas earned the other two first-place votes and a total of 91 points. Iowa State was picked third with 84 total points.
Individually, Campbell and Christenson will be looked toward to provide the bulk of the Baylor attack. Campbell had a great freshman season, earning Big 12 All-Freshman Team honors and ranking first among Big 12 freshmen in blocking. During her rookie campaign, Campbell recorded at least one block in all 31 matches played, and ranked second among Big 12 freshmen and fourth on the Baylor team in kills (252).
Christenson, on the other hand, ranked second on the Baylor squad in kills with a total of 285 and kills per set at 2.50. She recorded at least 10 kills in 13 matches during the season, including two out of three matches at the Comcast Lobo Challenge where she earned All-Tournament team honors. Christenson was one of just three Bears that topped the 20-kill plateau in a match, when she had a career high 20 at home against Texas A&M.
Baylor was one of just five Big 12 teams that landed multiple players on the preseason all-conference team.
Texas senior Juliann Faucette was selected as the Big 12's Preseason Player of the Year. Texas Tech's Justine Young, a junior transfer from Des Moines Area Community College, earned Preseason Newcomer of the Year honors, while Missouri freshman Molly Kreklow was named the Preseason Freshman of the Year.
2010 BIG 12 PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
1. Nebraska (9) 98
2. Texas (2) 91
3. Iowa State 84
4. Oklahoma 65
5. Missouri 63
6. Baylor 52
7. Texas A&M 48
8. Kansas 38
9. Kansas State 37
10. Texas Tech 15
11. Colorado 14
*Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.
| PRESEASON ALL-BIG 12 TEAM | ||||
| Name, School | Pos. | Cl. | Ht. | Hometown/Previous School |
| Torri Campbell, Baylor | MB | So. | 6-2 | Amarillo, Texas/Amarillo |
| Ashlie Christenson, Baylor | OH/RS | Sr. | 6-0 | Cleburne, Texas/Cleburne |
| Victoria Henson, Iowa State | OH | Sr. | 5-11 | Leavenworth, Kan./Leavenworth |
| Rachel Hockaday, Iowa State | OH | Jr. | 6-0 | Decatur, Ill./Maroa-Forsyth |
| Ashley Mass, Iowa State^ | DS/L | Sr. | 5-8 | Muskego, Wis./Muskego |
| Karina Garlington, Kansas | OH | Sr. | 6-0 | Denver, Colo./Grandview |
| Paola Ampudia, Missouri | OH/RS | Sr. | 6-1 | Cali, Colombia/Miami Dade College |
| Sydney Anderson, Nebraska | S | Sr. | 6-0 | Salt Lake City, Utah/Utah |
| Kayla Banwarth, Nebraska | L | Sr. | 5-11 | Dubuque, Iowa/Wahlert Catholic |
| Brooke Delano, Nebraska | MB | Jr. | 6-4 | Bellevue, Neb./Bellevue West |
| Hannah Werth, Nebraska | OH | So. | 6-1 | Springfield, Ill./Glenwood |
| Brianne Barker, Oklahoma | S | Jr. | 5-9 | Amarillo, Texas/Amarillo |
| Francie Ekwerekwu, Oklahoma^ | MB | Sr. | 5-11 | Arlington, Texas/Arlington |
| Rachael Adams, Texas | MB | Jr. | 6-2 | Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame |
| Juliann Faucette, Texas^ | OH | Sr. | 6-2 | San Diego, Calif./Westview |
| Kelsey Black, Texas A&M | OH | Jr. | 5-11 | Amarillo, Texas/Amarillo |
| Amanda Dowdy, Texas Tech | MB/OH | Jr. | 6-3 | Lexington, Texas/Lexington |
