Friday, August 30, 2002

Volleyball opens the season in San Diego after being picked to win the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference

photo by Geoff Anderson Senior Nirvana Kos was selected as the preseason Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year. FIU was voted to win the East Division by the 11 conference head coaches. The Golden Panthers open tonight at the San Diego State Tournament against UC-Santa Barbara.

IU opens its season at the San Diego State Ramada Invitational against UC-Santa Barbara tonight. Tomorrow, the Golden Panthers face host San Diego State and Tulane.

FIU, the defending Sun Belt Conference Tournament Champions, grabbed 52 points and nine first-place votes to top the East. Arkansas-Little Rock picked up 40 points and one first-place vote for second.

In the West Division, New Mexico State was selected with 63 points and eight of 11 first-place votes to finish ahead of North Texas, who received 52.

Preseason Player of the Year Nirvana Kos of FIU leads the all-conference team, also picked by the league's 11 head coaches. Kos, the 2001 Sun Belt Tournament Most Outstanding Player, was the top vote getter and was a unanimous selection to the team.

Last season, Kos finished 17th in the nation in service aces (0.64 pg) and 27th in kills (4.69 pg) on her way to leading the Golden Panthers to the postseason.

Others on the team include, KeKe Deckard (Middle Tennessee), Clarice Laires (UL Lafayette), Corina Marginas (North Texas), Sara Noe (Western Kentucky), Morgan Reader (New Mexico State), Ivana Vrakar (UALR) and Bojana Vulin (UALR).

The 2002 Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Tournament will be held in Golden Panther Arena on November 21-23.