Volleyball Coaches Pick OU Eighth in Big 12 Preseason Poll

Aug. 18, 1999

Norman, Okla. - The University of Oklahoma's volleyball team has been picked to finish eighth in the Big 12 Conference in a preseason poll of league head coaches. Nebraska was chosen as the top team in the conference, receiving all 10 first-place votes (100 pts.), while Texas A&M was picked to finish second with 91 votes.

In addition, Nebraska's Nancy Meendering and Laura Pilakowski were voted the Preseason Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, respectively. Also earning preseason honors was Texas Tech's middle blocker/outside hitter Colleen Smith who was chosen as Newcomer of the Year.

Finishing third in the team poll was Texas (75), while Colorado (69) edged Kansas State (64) and Texas Tech (61) for fourth. Rounding out the poll were Baylor (7th), Oklahoma (8th), Kansas (9th), Missouri (10th) and Iowa State (11th). The Sooners are coming off a tough 1998 season that saw them finish 10-22 overall and 4-16 in the conference. However, OU returns four of six starters and welcomes sophomores Chantae Weathers and Danielle Cornelius-Bookout back to the court. Weathers and Cornelius-Bookout were both Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 selections as high school seniors and are both expected to be starters.

Oklahoma begins its 1999 season at the Cal Poly Tournament in San Luis Obispo, Calif., against San Francisco on Friday, Sept. 3. Oklahoma's first home appearance will be in the Sooner Invitational on Sept. 10-11. OU will face Arkansas-Little Rock at 8 p.m. on Friday and will play two matches on Saturday against Wichita State (noon) and Wyoming (5 p.m.).

1999 Big 12 Conference Preseason Poll (votes in parentheses):

1. Nebraska(100)

2. Texas A&M(91)

3. Texas(75)

4. Colorado(69)

5. Kansas State(64)

6. Texas Tech(61)

7. Baylor(45)

8. Oklahoma(36)

9. Kansas(27)

10. Missouri(26)

11. Iowa State(11)