Big Ten volleyball saw an eventful 2012 season come to a close at the
NCAA Championship Semifinals, with Michigan and Penn State advancing to the round of four. The Wolverines clinched their first appearance in the national semifinals, while the Nittany Lions advanced to to the semifinals for the fifth time in the last six seasons.
Big Ten in the NCAA Championship: The Big Ten sent seven teams to the NCAA Championship, with three earning top-16 seeds. Penn State entered the tournament as the No. 1 overall seed, while No. 4 Nebraska and No. 8 Minnesota were also earned seeds. Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Purdue also received bids, marking the third time in the last four years that the Big Ten had sent seven or more teams to the national tournament. Big Ten teams compiled a 19-7 record in this year's tournament, tying the all-time win total for the conference set in 2010. For a look back at the entire NCAA Championship, visit the Championship Central page HERE.
Fourteen Big Ten Players Tabbed AVCA-All-Americans: Fourteen Big Ten players were selected as AVCA Division I All-Americans, the most of any conference, with four players earning first-team status. Minnesota's Katherine Harms, Nebraska's Lauren Cook and Penn State's Micha Hancock and Ariel Scott earned first-team honors, while Michigan State's Lauren Wicinski, Minnesota's Tori Dixon, Nebraska's Gina Mancuso and Hannah Werth, Purdue's Ariel Turner and Penn State's Katie Slay were named to the second team. Michigan's Jennifer Cross, Northwestern's Stephanie Holthus, Ohio State's Mari Hole and Penn State's Deja McClendon earned third-team honors. Four others received honorable mention -- Michigan's Lexi Erwin, Michigan State's Kori Moster, Minnesota's Ashley Wittman and Nebraska's Meghan Haggerty. For the complete teams, click HERE.
Ten Named Volleyball Magazine All-Americans: Ten Big Ten volleyball players were named All-Americans by Volleyball Magazine, with two appearing on the first team. Earning first-team All-America status were Penn State's Micha Hancock and Ariel Scott. Minnesota's Tori Dixon, Nebraska's Gina Mancuso and Hannah Werth and Penn State's Deja McClendon and Katie Slay were tabbed second-team honorees, while Michigan State's Lauren Wicinski, Minnesota's Katherine Harms and Purdue's Ariel Turner earned third-team laurels. For the complete list of Volleyball Magazine All-Americans and individual award winners, click HERE.
Nebraska's Mancuso, Purdue's Turner Named First-Team Academic All-America: Nebraska senior Gina Mancuso and Purdue junior Ariel Turner earned Capital One Academic All-America honors, with Turner being named Capital One Academic All-America of the Year, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced on Thursday. Mancuso, a marketing major, and Turner, a mechanical engineering major, each received spots on the first team. The pair of Academic All-Americans marks the second consecutive year that two conference standouts have earned the accolade.
For the complete release, click HERE.
AVCA Regional Awards: Big Ten volleyball standouts collected numerous AVCA Division I Regional Awards, with 14 players earning All-Region honors. Penn State head coach Russ Rose was named the Mideast Region Coach of the Year, while Penn State newcomer Megan Courtney reeled in Mideast Region Freshman of the Year laurels. Earning All-Mideast Region accolades were Michigan's Jennifer Cross, Michigan State's Lauren Wicinski, Minnesota's Tori Dixon and Katherine Harms, Nebraska's Lauren Cook, Gina Mancuso and Hannah Werth, Northwestern's Stephanie Holthus, Ohio State's Mari Hole, Penn State's Micha Hancock, Deja McClendon, Ariel Scott and Katie Slay and Purdue's Ariel Turner. Additionally, six players received Honorable Mention status -- Michigan's Lexi Erwin, Michigan State's Kori Moster, Minnesota's Ashley Wittman, Nebraska's Meghan Haggerty, Ohio State's Emily Danks and Penn State's Courtney. For the full list of regional award winners, click HERE.
Penn State Clinches Big Ten Championship: Penn State clinched its ninth Big Ten Championship in the last 10 years and 15th overall, earning the conference's automatic berth to the NCAA Championship. The Nittany Lions put together a 19-1 mark in conference play en route to No. 1 seed in the NCAA Championship. For the complete release, click HERE.
Postseason Recognition: The Big Ten announced its postseason volleyball awards in November, with student-athletes from two schools earning recognition following the conclusion of the 2012 regular season. Penn State's Ariel Scott was named the Big Ten Player of the Year by a vote of the conference's coaches, while teammates Micha Hancock and Megan Courtney were named Big Ten Setter of the Year and Freshman of the Year, respectively. Michigan's State's Kori Moster earned Defensive Player of the Year honors, while Penn State's Russ Rose was tabbed Coach of the Year by Big Ten coaches and media. For the complete release, click HERE.
In the Polls: The Big Ten led the country with seven volleyball teams ranked in the final AVCA Division I Coaches Poll of the 2012 season, including four top-10 squads. After reaching the NCAA Championship semifinals, Penn State and Michigan close the season ranked third and fifth, respectively. Joining the Wolverines and Nittany Lions in the top 10 are No. 7 Nebraska and No. 8 Minnesota. Purdue closes the season at No. 15, while Michigan State ranks 16th. Ohio State rounds out the group of ranked teams at No. 22. For the complete poll, click HERE.
Big Ten in the NCAA Championship: The Big Ten sent seven teams to the NCAA Championship, with three earning top-16 seeds. Penn State entered the tournament as the No. 1 overall seed, while No. 4 Nebraska and No. 8 Minnesota were also earned seeds. Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Purdue also received bids, marking the third time in the last four years that the Big Ten had sent seven or more teams to the national tournament. Big Ten teams compiled a 19-7 record in this year's tournament, tying the all-time win total for the conference set in 2010. For a look back at the entire NCAA Championship, visit the Championship Central page HERE.
Fourteen Big Ten Players Tabbed AVCA-All-Americans: Fourteen Big Ten players were selected as AVCA Division I All-Americans, the most of any conference, with four players earning first-team status. Minnesota's Katherine Harms, Nebraska's Lauren Cook and Penn State's Micha Hancock and Ariel Scott earned first-team honors, while Michigan State's Lauren Wicinski, Minnesota's Tori Dixon, Nebraska's Gina Mancuso and Hannah Werth, Purdue's Ariel Turner and Penn State's Katie Slay were named to the second team. Michigan's Jennifer Cross, Northwestern's Stephanie Holthus, Ohio State's Mari Hole and Penn State's Deja McClendon earned third-team honors. Four others received honorable mention -- Michigan's Lexi Erwin, Michigan State's Kori Moster, Minnesota's Ashley Wittman and Nebraska's Meghan Haggerty. For the complete teams, click HERE.
Ten Named Volleyball Magazine All-Americans: Ten Big Ten volleyball players were named All-Americans by Volleyball Magazine, with two appearing on the first team. Earning first-team All-America status were Penn State's Micha Hancock and Ariel Scott. Minnesota's Tori Dixon, Nebraska's Gina Mancuso and Hannah Werth and Penn State's Deja McClendon and Katie Slay were tabbed second-team honorees, while Michigan State's Lauren Wicinski, Minnesota's Katherine Harms and Purdue's Ariel Turner earned third-team laurels. For the complete list of Volleyball Magazine All-Americans and individual award winners, click HERE.
Nebraska's Mancuso, Purdue's Turner Named First-Team Academic All-America: Nebraska senior Gina Mancuso and Purdue junior Ariel Turner earned Capital One Academic All-America honors, with Turner being named Capital One Academic All-America of the Year, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced on Thursday. Mancuso, a marketing major, and Turner, a mechanical engineering major, each received spots on the first team. The pair of Academic All-Americans marks the second consecutive year that two conference standouts have earned the accolade.
For the complete release, click HERE.
AVCA Regional Awards: Big Ten volleyball standouts collected numerous AVCA Division I Regional Awards, with 14 players earning All-Region honors. Penn State head coach Russ Rose was named the Mideast Region Coach of the Year, while Penn State newcomer Megan Courtney reeled in Mideast Region Freshman of the Year laurels. Earning All-Mideast Region accolades were Michigan's Jennifer Cross, Michigan State's Lauren Wicinski, Minnesota's Tori Dixon and Katherine Harms, Nebraska's Lauren Cook, Gina Mancuso and Hannah Werth, Northwestern's Stephanie Holthus, Ohio State's Mari Hole, Penn State's Micha Hancock, Deja McClendon, Ariel Scott and Katie Slay and Purdue's Ariel Turner. Additionally, six players received Honorable Mention status -- Michigan's Lexi Erwin, Michigan State's Kori Moster, Minnesota's Ashley Wittman, Nebraska's Meghan Haggerty, Ohio State's Emily Danks and Penn State's Courtney. For the full list of regional award winners, click HERE.
Penn State Clinches Big Ten Championship: Penn State clinched its ninth Big Ten Championship in the last 10 years and 15th overall, earning the conference's automatic berth to the NCAA Championship. The Nittany Lions put together a 19-1 mark in conference play en route to No. 1 seed in the NCAA Championship. For the complete release, click HERE.
Postseason Recognition: The Big Ten announced its postseason volleyball awards in November, with student-athletes from two schools earning recognition following the conclusion of the 2012 regular season. Penn State's Ariel Scott was named the Big Ten Player of the Year by a vote of the conference's coaches, while teammates Micha Hancock and Megan Courtney were named Big Ten Setter of the Year and Freshman of the Year, respectively. Michigan's State's Kori Moster earned Defensive Player of the Year honors, while Penn State's Russ Rose was tabbed Coach of the Year by Big Ten coaches and media. For the complete release, click HERE.
In the Polls: The Big Ten led the country with seven volleyball teams ranked in the final AVCA Division I Coaches Poll of the 2012 season, including four top-10 squads. After reaching the NCAA Championship semifinals, Penn State and Michigan close the season ranked third and fifth, respectively. Joining the Wolverines and Nittany Lions in the top 10 are No. 7 Nebraska and No. 8 Minnesota. Purdue closes the season at No. 15, while Michigan State ranks 16th. Ohio State rounds out the group of ranked teams at No. 22. For the complete poll, click HERE.
