Around Campus

2006 Longhorns Volleyball Preview: Ready to Make a Deep Run
into the NCAA Championship

All-America senior middle blocker Brandy Magee is UT’s all-time leader in hitting percentage.

Junior middle blocker Leticia Armstrong had a breakout season in 2005, earning AVCA All-America Second Team honors and First Team All-Region and All-Big 12 accolades as well.

All-America junior setter Michelle Moriarty is surrounded by fans in a post-game autograph session at Gregory Gym.

Expectations and confidence are high for the 2006 Texas volleyball squad. Coming off a 24-5 season and an NCAA Championship second round showing where the Longhorns were upended by No. 7 ranked Hawaii in a match of powerhouse teams, Jerritt Elliott’s Longhorns enter the 2006 campaign with all six starters returning and the No. 8 ranking in the CSTV/American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Preseason Top 25 Poll. In the Big 12 Preseason Coaches Poll, Nebraska and Texas are picked to finish one-two, respectively, in the same order that the two squads finished the regular season race last fall.

UT’s strength in numbers is apparent when looking at three returning All-Americans (6-2 senior middle blocker Brandy Magee, 6-1 junior middle blocker Leticia Armstrong and 5-10 junior setter Michelle Moriarty) among the 11 veterans. They are joined by the nation’s No. 2 ranked recruiting class (the freshman trio of 6-3 setter/right-side hitter Ashley Engle, the Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year, 6-4 outside hitter Destinee Hooker, the 2006 NCAA outdoor high jump champion, and 5-10 defensive specialist Heather Kisner). In addition to Engle’s preseason honor, a Big-12 record four Longhorns were named to the 2006 All-Big 12 Preseason Team - Magee, Armstrong, Moriarty and 5-10 senior outside hitter Dariam Acevedo.

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