Yankauskas Named to Preseason BIG EAST Team
Aug 09 | Women's Volleyball
PISCATAWAY, NJ - Rutgers senior Lora Yankauskas (Paramus, NJ) was named to the 12-member All-BIG EAST Conference Preseason Volleyball Team, while the Scarlet Knights were picked to finish 10th in a vote of the league coaches, the conference office announced Aug. 9.
Yankauskas, a 6-1 outside hitter/right side, was named to the 2005 All-BIG EAST Second Team after leading RU and ranking fourth in the league with 4.22 kills per game. As a sophomore, she earned honorable mention all-BIG EAST status, posting a team-best 3.86 kills per game to rank fifth in the conference.
Rutgers will return four starters and six letterwinners from a team that posted an 11-16 overall record and a 6-8 mark in BIG EAST play to finish 10th in the 2005 standings.
Notre Dame was picked to win the 2006 BIG EAST title, receiving 188 points and eight first-place votes. Louisville, which shared the 2005 league regular-season crown with the Fighting Irish, was selected second in this year's poll (180, six first-place votes). Cincinnati was third (162, one first-place vote), followed by St. John's (143), Pittsburgh (142), Marquette (134), Villanova (117), Syracuse (104), Connecticut (92), Rutgers (84), Georgetown (70), West Virginia (53), South Florida (50), Seton Hall (37) and DePaul (19).
Rutgers will start the season with three consecutive tournaments, beginning with the James Madison/Days Inn Tournament Friday and Saturday, Aug. 25-26.
2006 BIG EAST PRESEASON VOLLEYBALL POLL2005 Records
School Pts. BIG EAST Finish Overall
1. Notre Dame (8) 188 13-1 T-1st 30-4
2. Louisville (6) 180 13-1 T-1st 31-3
3. Cincinnati (1) 162 9-5 T-4th 20-12
4. St. John's 143 9-5 T-4th 23-9
5. Pittsburgh 142 9-5 T-4th 17-13
6. Marquette 134 8-6 T-7th 17-13
7. Villanova 117 8-6 T-7th 21-11
8. Syracuse 104 11-3 3rd 25-10
9. Connecticut 92 7-7 9th 15-13
10. Rutgers 84 6-8 10th 11-16
11. Georgetown 70 2-12 13th 6-22
12. West Virginia 53 4-10 T-11th 16-13
13. USF 50 1-13 T-14th 4-22
14. Seton Hall 37 4-10 T-11th 14-16
15. DePaul 19 1-13 T-14th 4-23
( ) indicates first-place votes
BIG EAST PRESEASON VOLLEYBALL AWARDS
Player of the Year
Anastasia Yartseva-Stewart, Sr., OH, Louisville
Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
Diana Andreyko*, Jr., OH, Pittsburgh
Jenny Custer, Jr., OH/S, Cincinnati
Hui Ping Huang, So., MB, St. John's
Jamie Mueller, Sr., OH, Marquette
Jessie Nevitt*, R-So., MB, Cincinnati
Noel Olson, Sr., S, Cincinnati
Kacy Sellers, Jr., OH, Villanova
Adrianna Stasiuk, Jr., OH, Notre Dame
Ashley Tarutis, Jr., S, Notre Dame
Kimberley Todd*, Jr., OH, Marquette
Lora Yankauskas, Sr., OH/RS, Rutgers
Anastasia Yartseva-Stewart, Sr., OH, Louisville
*- unanimous selection
