Jenny Neelands Named To All-BIG EAST Second Team

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (November 17) - University of Connecticut senior Jenny Neelands (Gainesville, Fla.) was selected to the All-BIG EAST Second Team as announced by the conference office on Thursday.

The setter, who was named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll following her performance in the Huskies final weekend series, wrapped up her final collegiate season with 1,133 assists and 83 kills while playing in 93 games and all 28 of UConn's matches. She also had 21 service aces on the season and was third on the team in digs with 238 and second on the team with 59 total blocks.

Neelands closed out her UConn career with 2,753 assists and will leave UConn with the fifth-best assists total all-time. In her 323 games and 101 matches played, Neelands also had 796 digs and 125 blocks for her career.

The Huskies were 15-13 overall on the season and 7-7 against BIG EAST competition. Louisville's Lena Ustymenko earned Player of the Year honors while Jessie Nevitt of Cincinnati was named Rookie of the Year and Megan McGrane of Pittsburgh was chosen as Libero of the Year. Notre Dame Head Coach Debbie Brown earned her fifth Coach of the Year honor.

2005 All-BIG EAST First Team Jessie Nevitt, Cincinnati, R-Fr., MB Jennifer Hoffman, Louisville, Sr., MB* Lena Ustymenko, Louisville, Sr., OH* Kim Todd, Marquette, So., OH/MB Lauren Brewster, Notre Dame, Sr., MB* Lauren Kelbley, Notre Dame, Sr., OH/MB Meg Henican, Notre Dame, Sr., L Diana Andreyko, Pittsburgh, So., OH Megan McGrane, Pittsburgh, Sr., L Hui Ping Huang, St. John's, Fr., MB/OH Kristen Conway, Syracuse, Sr., OH Kelly Duan, Syracuse, Sr., RS/MB* * - denotes unanimous selection 2005 All-BIG EAST Second Team Maria Pongonis, Cincinnati, Sr., OH Jenny Neelands, Connecticut, Sr., S Ana Yartseva, Louisville, Jr., OH Theresa Coughlin, Marquette, Sr., OH Adrianna Stasiuk, Notre Dame, So., OPP./OH Ashley Tarutis, Notre Dame, So., S Gini Ullery, Pittsburgh, Sr., OH Lora Yankauskas, Rutgers, Jr., OH/RS Shameka Mitchell, St. John's, Gr., MB Aila Dommestrup, Syracuse, Sr., RS/S Kacy Sellers, Villanova, So., OH/MB Julie Hockenson, West Virginia, Sr., MB