Dec. 5, 2007

IRVING, Texas -- Jerritt Elliott and Juliann Faucette (Texas) headline the 2007 American Volleyball Coaches Association Division I All-Central Region selections as the 2007 Tachikara/AVCA Division I Central Region Coach of the Year and Central Region Freshman of the Year, respectively.

Big 12 student-athletes earned 10 of the 12 spots on the All-Central Region Team while five received honorable mention accolades.

This is the third time Elliott has been named AVCA Regional Coach of the Year. He earned the honors in 2004 in the Central Region and in the Pacific Region while coaching Southern California in 2000. Elliott also received his second postseason Big 12 coaching accolade this season (2004, `07). He led the third-ranked Longhorns to their first conference title in 10 years after posting a 19-1 mark. The Longhorns finished 15-0 at home this season, and overall have won 20 consecutive matches at Gregory Gymnasium. UT is currently on a 22-match winning streak.

A sweep of former No. 1 Nebraska, which snapped the defending national champion's 29-match winning streak, highlighted the Longhorns' regular season. UT became the first team since 1997 to defeat the Huskers 3-0 in Big 12 play. Overall, Elliott's squad is 26-3 with its only losses coming to No. 1 Nebraska and No. 2 Penn State (twice). The Longhorns have been ranked nationally in the top seven of the CSTV/AVCA Coaches poll all season. In seven years at Texas, Elliott has guided the Longhorns to six NCAA Championship appearances, including the NCAA Regionals this week where the Longhorns will face seventh-ranked Florida.

Faucette, the 2007 Big 12 Freshman of the Year, averaged the second-most kills (4.85) and points (5.52) in conference matches behind Pavan. She is the only freshman to be ranked amongst the top 10 in kills and points. Faucette received the Big 12 Player of the Week honor twice during her rookie campaign (Sept. 17, Oct. 22). The San Diego native has also registered seven double-doubles so far this season. It marks the second straight year that a Longhorn has received this honor (Ashley Engle).

Third-ranked Texas paced the all-region squad with six selections each, while No. 2 Nebraska earned five spots, including three-time Big 12 Player of the Year Sarah Pavan. She has been named to the All-Central Region First Team all four years of her career. Kansas State (2), Iowa State (1) and Oklahoma (1) also placed student-athletes on the squad.

CENTRAL REGION COACH OF THE YEAR: Jerritt Engle, Texas

CENTRAL REGION FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Juliann Faucette, Texas, OH, 6-2, San Diego, Calif./Westview

(Big 12 Selections Only)

ALL-CENTRAL REGION TEAM

Name, School	Pos.	Cl.	Ht.	Hometown/Previous School
Nataly Korobkova, Kansas State	OH	Jr.	6-3	Krasnoyarsk, Russia/State Siberian Technological
Rachel Holloway, Nebraska	S	So.	5-10	Franklin, Tenn./Smoky Hill (Colo.)
Christina Houghtelling, Nebraska	OH	Sr.	6-2	Cambridge, Neb./Cambridge
Jordan Larson, Nebraska	OH	Jr.	6-2	Hooper, Neb./Logan View
Sarah Pavan, Nebraska	RS	Sr.	6-5	Kitchener, Ontario/Forest Heights Collegiate Institute
Tracy Stalls, Nebraska	MB	Sr.	6-3	Denver, Colo./Lakewood
Juliann Faucette, Texas	OH	Fr.	6-2	San Diego, Calif./Westview
Destinee Hooker, Texas	OH	So.	6-4	San Antonio, Texas/Southwest
Michelle Moriarty, Texas	S	Sr.	5-10	Houston, Texas/Stratford
Lauren Paolini, Texas	MB	Jr.	6-5	Ann Arbor, Mich./Saline

ALL-CENTRAL REGION HONORABLE MENTION

Name, School	Pos.	Cl.	Ht.	Hometown/Previous School
Erin Boeve, Iowa State	OH/MB	Sr.	6-2	Steen, Minn./Hills-Beaver Creek
Angie Lastra, Kansas State	L	Sr.	5-6	Carolina, Puerto Rico/Carvin School
Sarah Weiland, Oklahoma	OH	Sr.	6-0	Pflugerville, Texas/Tulane University
Ashley Engle, Texas	OPP	So.	6-3	Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza
Brandy Magee, Texas	MB	Sr.	6-2	Mission Viejo, Calif./Capistrano Valley