Ashley Nu'u Named to Preseason All-Big 12 Team

DALLAS - University of Colorado senior Ashley Nu'u was selected to the 2006 Preseason All-Big 12 Conference volleyball team by a vote of league coaches the conference office announced on Wednesday.

The Buffaloes were also selected to finish sixth in the 2006 Big 12 race according to the annual preseason coaches poll. CU received 51 points.

Nu'u, a 5-10 setter from Aurora, Colo., earned honorable mention honors in 2006 on the AVCA All-Central Region and Big 12 First Teams. She ranked third in the Big 12 in overall assists (13.16 apg) and was third in league-only contests (12.82 apg). On the 2005 NCAA charts, she ranked 17^th. Nu'u recorded 1,448 assists, which was seventh on the single-season list and she is fifth on the career chart with 2,963.

She has earned two previous preseason honors as this is her second selection to the Preseason All-Big 12 (her first was in 2005) and Nu'u was also named the league's Preseason Freshman of the Year in 2003. Earlier this year, Nu'u was selected to the USA Women's National Volleyball A2 Team and was the only Big 12 representative.

Nebraska, the 2005 NCAA runner-up, was selected to repeat as Big 12 champions, capturing 98 points and eight first-place votes (coaches do not vote for their own teams). Texas was picked second with 93 points and three first-place votes, followed by Missouri (79), Kansas State (71), Texas A&M (57). Colorado received 51 points for sixth and was followed by Kansas (45), Iowa State (37), Baylor (35), Oklahoma (27) and Texas Tech (12).

CU returns four starters and 10 letterwinners from a 2005 squad that finished 15-13 overall and fifth in the final league standings at 10-10. Colorado will also get back two starters from the 2004 season who received medical redshirts for the 2005 season. The Buffaloes advanced to their 15^th NCAA Tournament in 2005, and their 14^th in the last 15 seasons.

Colorado begins its 21^th season of varsity volleyball on Friday, August 25, with a contest against instate rival Denver at 7 p.m. at the Coors Events Center. The Buffs will hit the road as they will participate in the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Volleyball Classic Sept. 1-3. Colorado will face three 2005 ranked opponents in UCLA, Florida and Hawai'i. The Buffs will wrap up their non-conference schedule with the Colorado Invitational on Sept. 7-9. The Big 12 Schedule begins on Sept. 13.

2006 Preseason Coaches Poll

Team (First place votes) Points

1. Nebraska (8) 98

2. Texas (3) 93

3. Missouri 79

4. Kansas State 71

5. Texas A&M 57

6. COLORADO 51

7. Kansas 45

8. Iowa State 37

9. Baylor 35

10. Oklahoma 27

11. Texas Tech 12

2006 Preseason All-Big 12 Team
Name, School Pos. Ht. Cl. Hometown
Desiree Guilliard-Young, Baylor MB 6-5 Sr. Berkeley, Calif.

Ashley Nu'u Colorado S 5-10 Sr. Aurora, Colo.
Erin Boeve, Iowa State MB 6-2 Jr. Steen, Minn.

Emily Brown, Kansas OPP/S 6-2 Jr. Baldwin, Kan.

Jessica Vander Kooi, Missouri OH 6-2 Sr. Merill, Iowa

Jordan Larson, Nebraska               OH       6-2       So.       Hooper, Neb.
Sarah Pavan, Nebraska                  OH       6-5       Jr.        Kitchener, Ont.
Elaine Santos, Oklahoma                MB       6-2       Sr.        Rio de Janeiro, Brazil