Lincoln – Husker volleyball players Kori Cooper, Jordan Wilberger and Kayla Banwarth were honored Tuesday afternoon, as the trio was selected to the 2009 Academic All-Big 12 team. Cooper was selected for the third time, while 2009 marked the first appearance for both Wilberger and Banwarth.
A first-team selection, Cooper carries a 3.81 GPA in speech-language pathology. Cooper was also a first-team ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America selection in 2008 and is on the ballot again this fall. On the court, she leads the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.363) and is averaging a career-high 2.45 kills per set.
Wilberger was chosen a first-team honoree, as she carries a 3.52 GPA in middle grades education and coaching. On the court, she has appeared in 17 matches, averaging 1.17 kills and 0.69 blocks per set. She had a career-high 10 kills against Creighton on Sept. 1 and established a season with seven blocks against No. 7 UCLA on Sept. 8
Banwarth rounds out the trio, as she has a 3.09 GPA over the last two semesters as an English major. A three-year starter, she is second in the Big 12 in digs (4.69 per set) and is one of only two Huskers in school history to record multiple 400-dig seasons. She became the first Big 12 libero to record a double-double when she totaled 25 digs and 10 assists in a five-set win over Oklahoma on Sept. 30.
First team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA, and the second team are those who have a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA. To qualify student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 60 percent of her team’s scheduled contests. Freshmen and transfers are not eligible in their first year of academic residence. Senior student-athletes who have participated for a minimum of two years and meet all the criteria except percent of participation are also eligible.
The ninth-ranked Huskers return to action Wednesday night, as they host No. 24 Baylor at the NU Coliseum. First serve is at 7 p.m. and the match will be carried by selected Husker Sports Network stations and on Huskers.com. In addition, the match will be carried live on NET-1 and NET-HD.
