Gerlach First Team All-Big 12

University of Colorado middle blocker Monique Gerlach was selected to the 2002 All-Big 12 Conference Volleyball First Team, the league announced Sunday. The 5-11 junior from Monarch Beach, Calif., received Honorable Mention conference accolades last season as a sophomore.

Gerlach finished the 2002 season with a .331 hitting percentage, averaging 3.77 kills per game, 0.83 blocks per game, and 1.50 digs per game as she broke her previous record set last year for kills in a season by a middle blocker with 419 total in 2002. She became just the fourth player in CU volleyball history to record 1,000 kills by the end of her junior year and tied former Colorado standout Sarah Lodge as the fastest to do so as both accomplished the feat in their 77th career match.

Gerlach led Colorado in kills 18 times as a junior, and registered double-figure kill numbers in 24 of 30 matches. Gerlach was named the Big 12 Player of the Week on Sept. 23 and she received Colorado Athlete of the Week honors twice this season.

Colorado has had four individuals receive first-team conference honors in the last three seasons.