Big 12 Names Conference Coach and Player of the Year

Lincoln -- Nebraska volleyball head coach John Cook was selected as the 2001 Big 12 Coach of the Year, and Husker right side hitter Nancy Metcalf earned Big 12 Player of the Year honors in a vote by the leagues head coaches released by the conference office Sunday evening. Joining Metcalf on the all-conference first team were junior setter Greichaly Cepero, junior middle blocker Amber Holmquist, senior middle blocker Jenny Kropp and junior outside hitter Laura Pilakowski.

The Huskers five first-team selections were a league-best. Texas A&M, Colorado and Kansas State each had two players selected to the 13-member first team, while Texas and Baylor both had one.

"I was very pleased that five of our players were recognized on the first team," Cook said. "I think that's a direct reflection on what a great season we had in the Big 12, winning 20 matches and dropping just three games."

In his second season at Nebraska, Cook the Huskers to their fifth conference title in six years. The 2000 AVCA Coach of the Year, Cook has led NU to a 27-1 overall record this season, and the Huskers are currently riding a 25-match winning streak. Cook is 61-1 in two seasons at Nebraska, and he owns a 40-0 record in the Big 12.

"I think that the Big 12 Coach-of-the-Year award should be the volleyball coaching staff-of-the-year award," Cook said. "Staci (Wolfe), Craig (Skinner) and Diane (Mendenhall) make up one of the best staffs in the country, and everything we do is a total team effort."

Metcalf, who was also the 1999 Big 12 Player of the Year, leads the Huskers in kills (4.35 per game), digs (3.10 per game), service aces (34) and double-doubles (12), and she recently joined former U.S. National Team captain Allison Weston as the only two players in Nebraska history to record 1,400 career kills and 375 career total blocks. The 6-foot-1 senior averaged 4.32 kills per game on a .347 hitting percentage, 3.08 digs per game and 1.23 blocks per game in conference matches. Metcalf, a native of Hull, Iowa, received league player of the week honors twice this season. A two-time AVCA All-American, Metcalf is also a member of the 2001 all-conference first team -- the third time she has received the honor in her career. Metcalf earned the Huskers fifth Big 12 player-of-the-year honor and NUs 14th Big Eight/Big 12 player-of-the-year award.

"There are a lot of great players in the Big 12, but I think that Nancy has definitely set herself apart from the others not only with her attack and her blocking, but with her serving, passing and defense," Cook said. "She has became a complete all-around player, and the award is well-deserved."

Cepero, the 2000 Big 12 Player of the Year, earned her third first-team All-Big 12 honor after guiding the Huskers to a .311 overall hitting percentage while averaging 12.61 assists, 1.25 kills, 2.19 digs and 1.26 blocks per game.

Holmquist, Pilakowski and Kropp were all recognized on the first team for the second straight year. Holmquist, a 2000 AVCA second-team All-American, led the Big 12 with 1.81 blocks per game and a .404 hitting percentage in 2001. Pilakowski, a 2000 AVCA first-team All-American, was the only outside hitter ranked among the league leaders in hitting percentage with a .337 mark in Big 12 matches. Pilakowski ranked second on the team in kills per game (3.41) and service aces (22). Kropp, an AVCA All-Central Region pick in 2000, is second on the team with 1.80 blocks per game and a .367 hitting percentage. She has amassed 462 career block assists and needs just one more to move into second place on the NU career charts.

Other major award winners were Big 12 Freshman of the Year Mira Topic of Texas, Newcomer of the Year Kelly Johnson of Texas Tech and Defensive Specialist of the Year Katie Sowers of Missouri.

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.

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