TicketsNov. 15, 2007
| Jessie Nevitt was named first team all-BIG EAST for the third straight year. |
MILWAUKEE---During recent years, the University of Cincinnati volleyball program has a history of turning out top freshman players and outstanding middle blockers. That history got a new chapter on Thursday evening as freshman Stephanie Niemer and junior Jessie Nevitt were recognized among the BIG EAST's best at the awards banquet kicking off the annual conference championship. Niemer was the big winner, taking home league Freshman of the Year, while also earning a spot on the all-BIG EAST second team. Nevitt, meanwhile, was named to the all-BIG EAST first team for the third straight year.
Niemer (Erlanger, Ky./St. Henry) becomes the second Cincinnati freshman to win the award in the three years the Bearcats have been BIG EAST members. Coincidently, Nevitt was the other recipient. Niemer is also the fifth Cincinnati player to win conference freshman of the year since Reed Sunahara took over as head coach in 2000.
Nevitt (Kennesaw, Ga./Kennesaw Mountain) becomes the third UC player ever to earn three straight all-conference first team honors and the first since middle blocker Bonita Wise in 2000-02.
Niemer has enjoyed an outstanding freshman campaign, ranking second on the Bearcats with 3.57 kills per game, including a career-high 29 at Seton Hall on Oct. 14. She has also been strong on the service line, ranking second amongst BIG EAST players with 0.51 aces per game.
Nevitt has had another productive season in the middle, ranking among the BIG EAST leaders in kills per game, hitting percentage and blocks per game. She reached the 1,000 kill plateau earlier this year and is just 28 blocks shy of becoming the second player in program history with 1,000 kills and 500 blocks in her career.
Cincinnati, seeded fifth for the Championship, opens play on Friday morning, taking on No. 4 Notre Dame at 10 a.m. CT at Marquette's Al McGuire Center.
BIG EAST Player of the Year
Hui Ping Huang St. John's, Sr., H/MB
BIG EAST Libero of the Year
Kathleen "Lena" Yee St. John's, Jr., L
BIG EAST Freshman of the Year
Stephanie Niemer Cincinnati, Fr., H/OH
BIG EAST Coach of the Year
Josh Steinbach Villanova, First Season
All-BIG EAST First Team
Diana Andreyko Pittsburgh, Sr., H/OH
Lecia Brown Louisville, So., H/MB
Latoya Blunt St. John's, Sr., H/RS
Sadé Chambers Connecticut, Sr., H/MB/OH
Alona Cherkez Villanova, Sr., H/OH
Svetlana Dukule Louisville, Sr., H/OH
Marcela Gurgel USF, So., H/OH
Hui Ping Huang St. John's, Sr., H/MB
Wioleta Leszczynska St. John's, Sr., S
Jessie Nevitt Cincinnati, R-Jr., H/MB
Kacy Sellers Villanova, Sr., H/MB
Kim Todd Marquette, Sr., H/OH
All-BIG EAST Second Team
Cheryl Cobbina Syracuse, Sr., H/OH
Bridget Denson-Dorman Connecticut, So., S
Meagan Dooley Pittsburgh, So., H/MB
Kristina Fabris USF, Sr., H/OH
Joscie Kaup Syracuse, Sr., L
Jana Matiasovska Louisville, Jr., H/OH
Tricia Meyers Seton Hall, Jr., H/MB
Stephanie Niemer Cincinnati, Fr., H/OH
Serinity Phillips Notre Dame, So., H/OH
Adrianna Stasiuk Notre Dame, Sr., H/OH
Justine Stremick Notre Dame, Jr., H/MB
Kathleen "Lena" Yee St. John's, Jr., L