Big Ten Volleyball Coaches Select Four-Time Defending NCAA Champion Penn State as Preseason Conference Favorite
Five players named unanimous selections to Preseason All-Big Ten team
Park Ridge, Ill. – Eight-time defending conference champion Penn State was chosen as the conference favorite for the 2011 season as voted on by the Big Ten coaches, the conference office announced on Wednesday. Winners of the last four NCAA championships, the Nittany Lions top the poll for the seventh straight season.
Illinois, who finished tied for second in the Big Ten in 2010, and conference-newcomer Nebraska were voted to finish second this season according to the poll. Purdue, who tied for fourth last season, was selected to finish in the same fashion this year, while Minnesota, which finished 2010 tied for second, was tabbed fifth in the voting. Michigan State, which finished 7-13 in conference action last year, rounds out the poll at No. 6.
Additionally, conference coaches selected a Preseason All-Big Ten team, which features five unanimous selections and two returning members to the preseason honor roll. Illinois’ Michelle Bartsch appears on the team for the third time, while Michigan’s Alex Hunt is a two-time honoree. Other unanimous selections include Illinois’ Colleen Ward, Nebraska’s Brooke Delano and Penn State’s Deja McClendon.
The complete preseason poll and All-Big Ten team can be found below.
2011 BIG TEN PRESEASON POLL
1. Penn State
2. Illinois
Nebraska
4. Purdue
5. Minnesota
6. Michigan State
2011 PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN VOLLEYBALL TEAM*
|
Name |
School |
Yr. |
Position |
Hometown |
|
MICHELLE BARTSCH (3) |
Illinois |
Sr. |
Outside Hitter |
Maryville, Ill. |
|
COLLEEN WARD |
Illinois |
Sr. |
Outside Hitter |
Naperville, Ill. |
|
ALEX HUNT (2) |
Michigan |
Sr. |
Outside Hitter |
Granger, Ind. |
|
Jenilee Rathje |
Michigan State |
Sr. |
Outside Hitter/Middle Blocker |
Mount Pleasant, Mich. |
|
Tori Dixon |
Minnesota |
So. |
Middle Blocker |
Burnsville, Minn. |
|
Ashley Wittman |
Minnesota |
So. |
Outside Hitter |
Shakopee, Minn. |
|
Lauren Cook |
Nebraska |
Jr. |
Setter |
Lincoln, Neb. |
|
BROOKE DELANO |
Nebraska |
Sr. |
Middle Blocker |
Bellevue, Neb. |
|
Hannah Werth |
Nebraska |
Jr. |
Outside Hitter |
Springfield, Ill. |
|
Stephanie Holthus |
Northwestern |
So. |
Outside Hitter |
Burlington, Ill. |
|
Kristin Carpenter |
Penn State |
Jr. |
Setter/Defensive Specialist |
Mechanicsville, Va. |
|
DEJA McCLENDON |
Penn State |
So. |
Outside Hitter |
Louisville, Ky. |
|
Katie Slay |
Penn State |
So. |
Middle Hitter |
Raleigh, N.C. |
|
Carly Cramer |
Purdue |
Jr. |
Defensive Specialist |
Martinsville, Ind. |
|
Tiffany Fisher |
Purdue |
Sr. |
Middle Blocker |
Topeka, Ind. |
|
Ariel Turner |
Purdue |
Jr. |
Outside Hitter |
Highlands Ranch, Colo. |
|
Alexis Mitchell |
Wisconsin |
Jr. |
Middle Blocker |
Davenport, Iowa |
UNANIMOUS SELECTION IN CAPS
(3) Three-time selection
(2) Two-time selection
* - 17 members due to tie
