DALLAS - Nebraska head coach John Cook was named the 2001 Big 12 Volleyball Coach of the Year while one of Cook's student-athletes, Nancy Metcalf, earned the Big 12 Volleyball Player of the Year award to highlight this season's all-conference honors, voted on by the league's head coaches and released by the conference office Sunday.

In only his second year at the helm of the Nebraska volleyball program, Cook was selected by his peers as the league's best coach after leading the Cornhuskers to their fifth conference title in six years, including four consecutive championships. Cook guided NU to its second perfect conference season in a row at 20-0. The Huskers now own a 50-match win streak over league opponents dating back to the 1999 season. The defending national champions carry a 27-1 overall mark and a 25-match win streak into the postseason.

Metcalf, who was also the 1999 Big 12 Player of the Year, returned for the Huskers this season because she elected to redshirt the 2000 season after she missed the NU spring season while training with the USA volleyball national team in the spring of '99. The 6-1 senior right side hitter averaged 4.32 kills per game, a .347 hitting percentage, 3.08 digs per game and 1.23 blocks per game in conference outings this season. Overall, Metcalf has posted 4.35 kpg on a .347 hitting clip, 3.10 dpg and 1.08 bpg. Metcalf, a Hull, Iowa, native, received league player of the week honors twice this season. She is also a member of the 2001 all-conference first team.

Redshirt freshman Kelly Johnson of Texas Tech was the coaches' selection for the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. Johnson leads the Red Raiders in kills per game with 3.79 overall and 3.77 in conference action. She also chipped in 2.22 and 2.18 digs per game overall and in conference competition, respectively. Johnson is a 5-10 outside hitter from Fort Worth, Texas.

Texas' Mira Topic earned the Big 12 Freshman of the Year award. Topic, a 6-2 outside hitter, averaged 4.89 kills per game during the conference season and 4.77 overall. The Kambelovac, Croatia, native is second in the conference in kills per game, while she leads the conference in service aces per game overall and in conference matches with a service ace average of 0.53 overall and 0.48 in the conference. Topic is the only freshman to make first-team all-conference this season.

Katie Sowers of Missouri was named Big 12 Defensive Specialist of the Year. Sowers has tallied 289 digs on the season, including 195 in league matches. Sowers, a 5-6 senior, hails from St. Louis, Mo.

Joining Metcalf and Topic on the All-Big 12 first team are Greichaly Cepero, Nebraska; Jenna Moscovic, Texas A&M; Amber Holmquist, Nebraska; Jenny Kropp, Nebraska; Stevie Nicholas, Baylor; Michelle Cole, Texas A&M; Laura Pilakowski, Nebraska; Elizabeth Gower, Colorado; Meghan Barkman, Colorado; Lisa Mimick, Kansas State; and Liz Wegner, Kansas State.

2001 ALL-BIG 12 CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL TEAM

FIRST TEAM

Pos.

Ht.

Cl.

Hometown

Bethany Howden, Texas

MB

6-2

Fr.

Austin, Texas

Christi Myers, Missouri

MB

6-1

Jr.

Raytown, Mo.

Lisa Morris, Missouri

OH

6-0

Jr.

Overland Park, Kan.

Melissa McGehee, Texas Tech

OH

5-10

Jr.

Kerrville, Texas

Monique Gerlach, Colorado

MB

5-11

So.

Monarch Beach, Calif.

*Dana Chuha, Baylor

S

5-11

Sr.

Yorba Linda, Calif.

*Molly LaMere, Kansas

S

5-7

Sr.

Papillion, Neb.

(Others receiving votes: Lauren Goehring - Kansas State; Gabby Guerre - Kansas State; Erin Lechler - Texas A&M; Brandi Mount - Texas A&M; Skydra Orzen - Texas Tech)

Coach of the Year: John Cook, Nebraska
Player of the Year: Nancy Metcalf, Nebraska
Newcomer of the Year: Kelly Johnson, Texas Tech
Freshman of the Year: Mira Topic, Texas
Defensive Specialist of the Year: Katie Sowers, Missouri

* - Denotes that a tie occurred in the voting.