Klein grad McCage named top rookie in preseason Big 12 coaches' poll

Molly McCage, a 2012 graduate of Klein Collins High School in Spring who now plays volleyball for the University of Texas, was named the Preseason Freshman of the Year in the Big 12 Conference, according to an Aug. 7 report by the University of Texas website, texassports.com.

McCage, a 6-foot-3 middle blocker, played for the 2011 United States Girls' Youth National Team that competed at the World Championship.

During her high school career at Klein Collins, McCage earned 2011 Prep Volleyball and Under Armour High School All-American honors. Prep Volleyball selected her as one of the nation's Top 25 Junior Recruits in 2011, and Volleyball Magazine listed her as a Top 25 Underclassman to Watch. Entering her freshman year at Texas, Prep Volleyball ranked her No. 1 in the nation for 2012.

Aside from McCage, the Big 12 Conference named University of Texas student-athlete Bailey Webster as its 2012 preseason volleyball Player of the Year, while teammates Khat Bell and Haley Eckerman made the Preseason All-Big 12 Team.

League coaches choose the team and awards, and are not allowed to vote for their own players.
 
The UT women's volleyball team is the defending volleyball champion in the Big 12.  The team began practicing Aug. 8, the same day coaches were polled and picked the team to repeat as Big 12 women's volleyball champions.  As with the player voting, coaches are not allowed to pick their own team.

The team opens its 2012 regular season at 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 24 against Louisiana State University at the 26 West Longhorns Classic, at Gregory Gym.