10/14/02

Caron Blotch named Big 12 Player of the Week

DALLAS - Freshman setter Caron Blotch (Franklin, Ind./Franklin) was selected Big 12 Player of the Week during the week of Oct. 7-13, conference officials announced Monday. Blotch is the second Longhorn to receive the honor this season as sophomore outside hitter Mira Topic (Kastela Kambelovac, Croatia/Vladimir Nazor) won the award for the week of Sept. 16.

Blotch, the second true-freshman setter in The University of Texas history, anchored the offensive charge in wins over No. 25 Texas A&M and Texas Tech last week. In the five-game upset against the Aggies, Blotch complied 51 assists, 10 digs and four kills.

She had 46 assists, four kills and five digs in the three-game sweep of Texas Tech. On the weekend, Blotch tallied 97 assists and 15 digs while averaging 12.13 assists per game and a .334 hitting percentage.

Texas (14-3/6-2 Big 12) returned to the USA Today/AVCA Coaches Poll this week, positioned at No. 25. UT was previously ranked 23rd during the week of Sept. 16. The Longhorns currently are on a six-match winning streak, which ties its longest winning streak of the season.

The 25th-ranked Longhorns will wrap up the first half of the Big 12 schedule this week as they travel to Colorado on Wednesday, Oct. 16, and host Iowa State on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m.