Volleyball Places Four on Academic All-Big 12 Team

Volleyball 11/13/2007 12:00:00 AM

Nov. 13, 2007

WACO, Texas -

The Baylor volleyball team placed four players on the 2007 Academic All-Big 12 Volleyball Team, the league announced on Tuesday. The Bears return to action on Wednesday at Oklahoma.

Kristen Schramek earned her fourth Academic All-Big 12 first-team honor, becoming just the third player in Baylor history to earn four first-team selections. Elisha Polk and Kia Young both earned four first-team honors.

Amanda Modglin was selected to the Academic All-Big 12 team for the third time, the seventh player in Baylor history to receive three first-team selections. Anna Breyfogle earned her first Academic All-Big 12 first-team selection, and was named ESPN: The Magazine Academic All-District third-team last week.

Kelsey Smith, who earned first-team Academic All-Big 12 honors last season, was named to the second-team in 2007.

Nominated by each institution's director of student-athlete support services and the media relations offices, the volleyball academic all-league team consisted of 44 first team members combined with nine on the second team. 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.

Baylor hits the road on Wednesday night as the Bears face 22nd-ranked Oklahoma at 7 p.m. at the McCasland Field House. The Bears face their second of four straight ranked opponents.

The Bears are coming off a 3-2 loss at home to 12th-ranked Kansas State on Saturday, the third straight 3-2 loss for Baylor. The Bears fell 3-2 at Missouri, their first five-game loss in Big 12 play before dropping a 3-2 decision at Iowa State. All three five-game losses in Big 12 action came against opponents that swept Baylor in the first round of conference play.

Kansas State scored two straight points to open game five. Baylor rallied to tie the score at three, but the Wildcats opened an 8-4 lead as the teams changed benches. Baylor cut into the lead, trimming the margin to two at 13-11, but two Wildcat kills gave K-State the 15-11 win.

Sarah Grace led four players with double-figure digs as the freshman notched a career-best 33 digs. Sanders added 21 digs, while Kristen Schramek and Smith added 15 and 11 digs, respectively.

Grace's 33 digs is the fourth-best single-match performance in Baylor history and the second-best total in the rally scoring era (2001-present). Last season, Schramek tallied 34 digs against Missouri.

Katie Sanders tallied a match-high 25 kills, while Anna Breyfogle and Ashlie Christenson added 15 kills apiece for Baylor. Haley Thomas also reached double-figures with 10 kills, while Kelsey Smith recorded nine kills on .364 hitting in her first action on the front row.

Oklahoma enters the contest following a 3-0 sweep of Texas Tech on Saturday. The Sooners lost their previous two matches, falling 3-0 at Texas before dropping a 3-2 match at Kansas.

Oklahoma places three players over 300 kills on the season, led by Mariana Blum with 345. The Sooners are one of the top serve-receive teams in the conference, averaging just 0.97 receiving errors per game.

The live audio broadcast of the match can be found at BaylorBears.com starting at 6:50 p.m.

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