Dariam, an education major, brings a wealth of international experience to the Longhorns' volleyball court. After transferring to Texas in the summer of 2003, Acevedo gained immediate respect, earning Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year honors. She also was selected to represent her native Puerto Rico at the 2003 Under-20 World Championships in Thailand. This play with her National Team would cause Dariam to miss the first eight matches of her Texas career. She starred for the Puerto Rican entry at the Championships, then returned to Texas in time for the start of the Big 12 Conference season. Acevedo made her Longhorn debut against Iowa State on Sept. 17, recording five kills and nine digs in the Horns' 3-0 victory. In her second UT match - against Nebraska on Sept. 20 - Acevedo suffered a devastating season-ending knee injury, and what was promising to be a great year turned into a medical redshirt season. The injury and subsequent surgery forced Acevedo to miss the remainder of the 2003 season.

After rehabilitating her surgically-repaired left knee, Acevedo returned to the court this past spring when the UT volleyball team toured Europe in an exhibition swing. This season, with a full recovery, Acevedo is expected to see significant time on the court as the Longhorns look to return to the NCAA Tournament.

"We are so proud of Dariam and her commitment to her studies and to volleyball at Texas," noted UT volleyball head coach Jerritt Elliott. "After transferring from a different school and changing her course of study completely, Dariam kept up her grades and excelled in the classroom last year. Even after a injury sidelined her all season, she hit the books hard and kept up with her studies. She is a model student-athlete, and we are excited to have her back, ready to go on the court."

Acevedo's Accolades
· 2003 Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year
· 2002 Pac-10 Conference All-Freshman Team
· 2002 All-Pac 10 Honorable Mention
· 2003-04 UT Women's Athletics Carolyn Frost Keenan Endowed Scholarship