AROUND AGGIELAND A&M Volleyball starts at No. 18; picked second in Big 12

The Texas A&M volleyball team is ranked 18th in the USA Today/AVCA Coaches Preseason Top 25 Poll, released on Aug. 13.

The Aggies return six starters, including 2000 all-Central Region and all-Big 12 selections Jenna Moscovic and Erin Lechler, from last year’s team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament and finished 23rd in the final poll with a 20-9 record.

In addition, ninth-year A&M head coach Laurie Corbelli returns five other letterwinners and has added a heralded recruiting class that was ranked 10th in the nation by Volleyball Magazine.

Defending Big 12 and national champion Nebraska is picked No. 1 in the preseason poll, receiving 63 of 65 first-place votes. The Huskers, who visit the Aggies on Oct. 13, return National Player of the Year Greichaly Cepero, All-America first-team member Laura Pilakowski and All-America second-team selection Amber Holmquist.

USC, Penn St, Wisconsin and Hawaii round out the top 5 in the preseason poll. Stanford, who plays Texas A&M at G. Rollie White Coliseum on Sept. 8, is ranked No. 10.

In addition to Nebraska and Texas A&M, Big 12 foe Kansas State is listed No. 19. Conference members Missouri (27th), Colorado (28th), Texas Tech (35th) and Baylor (40th) all received points.

Florida State, who the Aggies host on Sept. 7, also received points and is ranked No. 43. Overall, the Aggies are scheduled to play 14 matches against teams ranked or mentioned in the preseason poll. A&M plays its season opener against Sanford on August 31 at the Crowne Plaza/Rice Invitational in Houston. The Aggies open their home schedule on Sept. 4 against Texas-San Antonio.

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ROAD TRIPS TO VEGAS, CAROLINA HIGHLIGHT MEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

Road trips to North Carolina and the Las Vegas Classic, along with 16 home games, highlight Texas A&M’s men’s basketball schedule for 2001-02

After a pair of home exhibition games on Nov. 8 and Nov. 14, the Aggies open the regular season at home on Nov. 19 against George Washington. The Aggies other non-conference home games are against Davidson (Nov. 26), Long Beach State (Nov. 30), Loyola Marymount (Dec. 2), Southeastern Louisiana (Dec. 5) and Miami (Fla.) (Dec. 8).

The Aggies’ non-conference road schedule consists of Lamar in Beaumont (Nov. 24), Tulsa in Houston as part of the Houston Charity Classic (Dec. 14), Southwest Missouri State in Springfield, Mo., in the first round of the Las Vegas Classic, three more games at the Las Vegas Classic in Las Vegas, Nev. (Dec. 20-22), perennial power North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C. (Dec. 30) and Centenary in Shreveport, La. (Jan. 3).

In Big 12 play, the Aggies will play Texas Tech, Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Baylor twice each on a home-and-home basis, while facing Missouri, Iowa State and Kansas State on the road and Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado at home. The Aggies open Big 12 play against Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., on Jan. 5, then play their conference home opener against Texas Tech on Jan. 9. The Big 12 Tournament will be March 7-10 in Kansas City.

"Anytime you have the likes of Miami at home, North Carolina on the road, George Washington at home, and the Las Vegas Tournament, it will definitely be a challenge – and that’s just in non-conference," A&M coach Melvin Watkins said. "But playing good teams makes you better. Those tough non-conference matchups will help prepare us for a tough schedule down the road. We know what the Big 12 represents, and I happen to think this will probably be one of the better years for the league from top to bottom

because of all the talent returning."

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DENVER A&M CLUB TO HOST PRE-GAME BARBEQUE

Starting three hours before game time on the Colorado football weekend, Oct. 13, 2001, the Denver A&M Club will host a barbecue on the CU campus.

The cost is $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under. For reservations, please send check for desired tickets to Jim Benson ’63, Game Day Coordinator, P.O. Box 18948, Denver, CO 80218.