University of Minnesota Athletics
BRANAGH NAMED TO PRE-SEASON ALL-BIG TEN VOLLEYBALL TEAM
7/16/1999 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Branagh earned all-district and all-Big Ten honors in 1998 after leading the Gophers with 579 kills. Her average of 5.51 kills per game ranked second in the conference and fifth nationally. Branagh has 1,057 career kills at Minnesota, the most-ever for a Gopher after her first two seasons.
Penn State, the 1998 NCAA Volleyball finalist, was unanimously chosen to repeat as Big Ten champion. The Nittany Lions have won or shared the last three conference titles and have been the NCAA runner-up in 1997 and 1998. Minnesota was placed sixth by the conference coaches.
The Minnesota volleyball team opens practice Wednesday, August 11 at the Sports Pavilion. The Gophers will open the 1999 volleyball season at St. Mary's (Calif.) on Wednesday, Sept. 1. Minnesota's home opener is Wednesday, Sept. 8 against Drake at the Sports Pavilion.
1999 PRE-SEASON ALL-BIG TEN VOLLEYBALL TEAM Name School Pos. Nicole Branagh* Minnesota OH Erin Hartley Michigan State OH Bonnie Bremner* Penn State S Melissa Beitz Illinois S Lauren Cacciamani* Penn State MB Tracey Marshall Illinois OH Jen Flynn Ohio State S/OH Ryann Connors Indiana OH Sherisa Livingston Wisconsin MB Dana Stearns Ohio State MB Kelly Kennedy Wisconsin MB Carrie Schonveld Penn State OH *unanimous selection
1999 BIG TEN PRE-SEASON VOLLEYBALL POLL School (First-Place Votes) Points 1.Penn State (11) 121 2.Wisconsin 107 3.Illinois 95 4.Michigan State 85 Ohio State 85 6.Minnesota 61 7.Indiana 56 8.Iowa 38 9.Purdue 37 10.Michigan 28 11.Northwestern 13
