WACO (August 13, 2009) - For the second-straight season, Taylor Barnes and Anna Breyfogle were named to the preseason All-Big 12 team, while the Baylor volleyball team was picked to finish fifth in the league by the conference head coaches, league officials announced Thursday.

“Baylor volleyball is gaining respect within the conference,” head coach Jim Barnes said. “We believe we have the ability to finish higher than the preseason pick and that is one of our team goals. The Big 12 is one of the most powerful leagues in the country and we intend to compete at the top of this league.”

Taylor Barnes, a senior setter, was named to the preseason team for the third-straight year. In 2008, she parlayed her preseason accolade into All-Big 12 First Team postseason honors, leading the Big 12 in service aces per set. Barnes also earned all-AVCA central region honors and ranked fourth in the Big 12 with 10.32 assists per set.

Breyfogle, a senior middle blocker, earned the preseason honor for the second-straight year. Like Barnes, Breyfogle also earned both All-Big 12 First Team and all-AVCA central region honors. The Buda, Texas, native led the Big 12 in blocks per set with 1.45, while ranking seventh in the nation in that category.

“Anna (Breyfogle) and Taylor (Barnes) are very deserving of being named All-Big 12, and we believe Katie Sanders is deserving of the honor as well as is everyone on the list,” Coach Barnes said. “The postseason awards are the list that we believe all three will be named, if we have the type of season we are capable.”

In the coaches’ poll, the Bears were picked fifth with 63 points, just five behind fourth-place Texas A&M. Texas and Nebraska were picked first and second, respectively, while Iowa State was picked third. Texas received eight first-place votes, while Nebraska tallied three.

Texas’ Destinee Hooker was named the Preseason Player of the Year, while her UT teammate Bailey Webster was named the Preseason Freshman of the Year. Missouri’s Paola Ampudia was named the Preseason Newcomer of the Year.

The Bears host their annual Green and Gold scrimmage on Aug. 22 at noon in the Ferrell Center, and then open the season at the Flo Hyman Invitational tournament at the University of Houston on Aug. 28.

PRESEASON POLL

Rank Team (First-place Votes) Points

1. Texas (8) 98

2. Nebraska (3) 93

3. Iowa State 81

4. Texas A&M 68

5. Baylor 63

6. Kansas State 57

7. Oklahoma 46

8. Missouri 38

9. Kansas 30

10. Colorado 20

11. Texas Tech 11

Preseason Player of the Year: Destinee Hooker, Texas, OH, Sr., 6-4, San Antonio, Texas/Southwest

Preseason Newcomer of the Year: Paola Ampudia, Missouri, OH/RS, Jr., 6-1, Cali, Colombia/Miami Dade College

Preseason Freshman of the Year: Bailey Webster, Texas, OH, 6-3, Baltimore, Md./St. Paul’s School For Girls

PRESEASON ALL-BIG 12 TEAM

Name, School Pos. Cl. Ht. Hometown/Previous School

Taylor Barnes, Baylor S Sr. 5-11 Arlington, Texas/Martin
Anna Breyfogle, Baylor MB Sr. 6-1 Buda, Texas/Hays

Victoria Henson, Iowa State^ OH Jr. 5-11 Leavenworth, Kan./Leavenworth

Kaylee Manns, Iowa State S Sr. 5-10 Topeka, Kan./Washburn Rural

Ashley Mass, Iowa State DS/L Jr. 5-8 Muskego, Wis./Muskego

Kelsey Chipman, Kansas State MB Sr. 6-1 Topeka, Kan./Washburn Rural

Sydney Anderson, Nebraska^ S Jr. 6-0 Salt Lake City, Utah/Utah

Kori Cooper, Nebraska^ MB Sr. 6-2 Amarillo, Texas/Amarillo

Tara Mueller, Nebraska OH Jr. 6-0 Scottsdale, Ariz./Desert Mountain

Ashley Engle, Texas^ S/RS Sr. 6-3 Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza

Juliann Faucette, Texas^ OH Jr. 6-2 San Diego, Calif./Westview
Destinee Hooker, Texas OH Sr. 6-4 San Antonio, Texas/Southwest
Sarah Ammerman, Texas A&M^ OH Sr. 6-2 Parker, Colo./Chaparral

Mary Batis, Texas A&M OH Sr. 6-0 San Antonio, Texas/Clark

^ - Unanimous Selection