Sophomore Weiwen Wang was picked to the Preseason All-Big 12 team
 
Sophomore Weiwen Wang was picked to the Preseason All-Big 12 team
  
 
Big 12 Coaches Tab Mizzou Volleyball Fifth

Tiger soph Weiwen Wang named to Preseason All-Big 12 Team

Aug. 14, 2008

COLUMBIA, Mo. — A new school year is dawning, and with it, a new Mizzou volleyball season. Today the Big 12 Conference released the results of its annual preseason coaches’ poll, picking the Tigers, who have competed in eight-straight NCAA Tournaments, to finish fifth within the conference. In addition, sophomore Weiwen Wang (Nanjing, China) was picked to the Preseason All-Big 12 team to compliment last season’s selection to the league’s inaugural All-Freshman team.


 

 

 

Weiwen Wang had a fantastic freshman campaign for the Tigers, leading the team in service aces (34), and was second on the team in four categories, including kills per set (2.96), blocks per set (0.89), hitting percentage (.256), and points per set (3.78). Wang also set a Mizzou single-match blocking record at Colorado on October 3 with 13 scores off the block.

 

Head Coach Wayne Kreklow lost outside hitter Na Yang, Mizzou’s single-season kills leader, and libero Tatum Ailes, Mizzou’s all-time leader in digs, to graduation, but still returns five starters. On a team with zero seniors, redshirt-junior setter Lei Wang (Shanghai, China) will look to be one of the leaders of the team coming from a veteran junior group that numbers five. Junior outside hitter Julianna Klein (Keota, Iowa) has recovered from an ACL injury and looks to be at full speed while Amanda Hantouli (Omaha, Neb.) and Megan Wilson (Lincoln, Neb.) are a duo that has played in the front row for two full years and will be key to the team’s success.

 

With Mizzou starting practices this past Saturday on the ninth of August, a roster of 13 already has several practices under their belt. Mizzou, along with Nebraska, are the only teams in the Big 12 to have reached each NCAA Tournament this decade. Last year, the Tigers tied for sixth in the league with a 10-10 mark but nearly knocked off overall sixth seed Washington in the first round of the postseason to gain a bevy of optimism for this season ahead.

 

Texas was the unanimous pick (teams cannot vote for themselves in the poll) to win the Big 12 with Nebraska receiving all-but-one second place votes. Kansas State received Texas’ first-place vote.

 

Before starting the season in Provo, Utah, for the BYU Molten Classic versus Tulane, Utah State, and BYU, the Tigers will host their annual Black & Gold Match and Clinic on Friday, August 22 in the Hearnes Center. The clinic for youth eighth grade and younger begins at 4:45, with the match, which is open to the public for free, starting at 6:30. The Tigers will not have a home match until September 21.

 

 

PRESEASON COACHES POLL

Rank Team (First-place Votes), Points

1. Texas (10), 100

2. Nebraska, 88

3. Kansas State (1), 84

4. Texas A&M, 71

5. Missouri, 62

6. Iowa State, 55

7. Colorado, 38

8. Baylor, 37

8. Oklahoma, 37

10. Kansas, 23

11. Texas Tech, 10

Ten points were awarded for first-place votes, nine for second, etc. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.

 

Preseason Co-Players of the Year: Jordan Larson, Nebraska, OH, Sr. , 6-2, Hooper, Neb./Logan View

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

Preseason Newcomer of the Year: Sydney Anderson, Nebraska, So., S, 6-0, Salt Lake City, Utah/Utah

Preseason Freshman of the Year: Rachael Adams, Texas, MB, Fr., 6-2, Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame

 

PRESEASON ALL-BIG 12 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

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

Natalie Uhart, Kansas MB Sr. 6-2 Lansing, Kan./Lansing

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

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

Nataly Korobkova, Kansas State OH Sr. 6-3 Krasnoyarsk, Russia/State Siberian Technological

Weiwen Wang, Missouri MB So. 6-0 Nanjing, China/Jiangsu Education Institute

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

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

Francie Ekwerekwu, Oklahoma MB So. 5-11 Arlington, Texas/Arlington

Ashley Engle, Texas S/RS 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

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

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

Fourteen players are named to the preseason all-conference team -- a tie occurred in voting to result in 17 members.

 

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