University of Connecticut Athletics
Wooley Named to the BIG EAST Preseason Team
8/1/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
PROVIDENCE, RI (August 1) – Senior Melissa Wooley (Ridgecrest, CA) of the University of Connecticut volleyball team was named to the 2002 Preseason All-BIG EAST Team as voted on by the conference head coaches. Also in the voting, Connecticut was picked to finish fifth overall in the BIG EAST preseason poll.
Wooley was named to the All-BIG EAST First Team after leading the Huskies in total kills, kills/game, total service aces and SA/game last season. She was twice named the BIG EAST Player of the Week and received ECAC Player of the week honors once. Wooley also recorded 11 double-doubles in 2001, the most on the team.
With a 21-7 record in 2001, the volleyball team claimed their fifth consecutive season with 20 wins or more. UConn also advanced to the BIG EAST Championship. Since the league began hosting the event in 1982, Connecticut has been a fixture in the tournament, competing in every championship. UConn registered a 9-3 BIG EAST record to garner the fourth seed in the tournament, falling to eventual champion Notre Dame.
Notre Dame, coming off its third straight BIG EAST title, was picked as the favorite to win the 2002 regular season volleyball title. Pittsburgh was picked second in the poll for the second consecutive year earning three first-place votes. Rutgers received the only other first-place vote and finished third in the poll. Georgetown, the 2001 BIG EAST Championship runner-up, was picked fourth followed by Connecticut. Miami was chosen to finish sixth as it enters its first year of competition in the BIG EAST. Rounding out the poll, respectively are Virginia Tech, Seton Hall, St. John’s, Boston College, Syracuse, West Virginia, Villanova and Providence.
Pittsburgh’s Wendy Hatlestad was named the BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year.
The Huskies begin 2002 home competition when they host the IKON Classic on September 6-7. In the two-day tournament, UConn will face Temple, UW-Milwaukee and Sacramento State.
PRESEASON AWARDS
Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year
Wendy Hatlestad, Pittsburgh
Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
Sara Albert, So., MB, Georgetown
*Shayla Bush, Jr., OH, Rutgers
Kim Fletcher, Jr., MB/OPP, Notre Dame
*Wendy Hatlestad, Jr., OH, Pittsburgh
Kristen Kinder, Jr., S, Notre Dame
Melissa Wooley, Sr., OH/RS, Connecticut
2002 BIG EAST VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON POLL
1. Notre Dame 166
2. Pittsburgh 151
3. Rutgers 142
4. Georgetown 135
5. Connecticut 128
6. Miami 100
7. Virginia Tech 88
8. Seton Hall 82
9. St. John’s 76
10. Boston College 70
11. Syracuse 51
12. West Virginia 45
13. Villanova 27
14. Providence 13
