College Volleyball News:

Texas Volleyball: Trio earns Volleyball Magazine All-America honors,

Destinee Hooker Co-Player of the Year

Destinee Hooker earns co-player of the year honors, while Ashley Engle and Juliann Faucette garner All-America honors.

AUSTIN, Texas – Three Texas Volleyball players were named to the Volleyball Magazine All-America Teams and senior outside hitter Destinee Hooker claimed co-player of the year honors with Penn State’s Megan Hodge in the publication’s February issue.

Hooker and senior setter/opposite hitter Ashley Engle earned places on the first team for the second straight season, while Engle earned her third first-team nod of her career (2006, 2008-09). Junior outside/opposite hitter Juliann Faucette earned a spot on the second team, earning her second career honor after garnering first-team accolades in 2007.

Following the 2009 season, all three players were named AVCA All-America selections, with Hooker and Engle earning first-team honors and Faucette landing on the third team.

Engle, a Yorba Linda, Calif, native earned first-team honors in addition to her AVCA All-Central Region First Team and All-Big 12 First Team accolades. The senior shined as a setter and hitter in 2009, posting 8.76 assists, 1.87 kills, 2.04 digs and 0.59 blocks per-set. Her .344 attack mark ranked fourth in the Big 12.

In 2009, Hooker was named a Honda Award Finalist, AVCA All-Central Region First Team and All-Big 12 First Team. She also earned Big 12 Player of the Year, NCAA Championship and NCAA Omaha Regional Most Outstanding Player honors. Hooker’s 6.09 points per-set ranked No. 1 in the NCAA, while her 5.06 kills per-set ranked fourth nationally. The senior hit .358 on the season, ranking second in the Big 12 and tops among all outside hitters.

Faucette, a San Diego, Calif. native landed on the second team after earning AVCA All-Central Region First Team and All-Big 12 First Team accolades. She averaged 3.17 kills, 1.46 digs and 0.71 blocks per-set during her junior campaign. Faucette hit .284 on the season and her hitting percentage ballooned to .316 after moving to opposite hitter.

Texas (29-2) ended its season in the NCAA Championship with a 3-2 loss to No. 1 Penn State, marking the Horns’ first trip to the championship match since 1995. The Longhorns concluded the year ranked second in the AVCA Coaches Poll.