ABILENE - New ACU head volleyball coach Kellen Morrow-Mock wasted little time putting her stamp on the Wildcat program as she announced Friday the addition of former Texas A&M all-America outside hitter Laura Jones as the ACU assistant coach.
Mock and Jones were teammates for two seasons at Arlington Martin High School before Mock went to ACU to play and Jones one year later to Texas A&M.
Arguably the greatest player in Texas A&M history, Jones completed her playing career last fall, helping the Aggies to a 16-14 record and their 13th consecutive NCAA post-season appearance. Jones, who broke 33 Texas A&M records during a stellar four-year career, led the nation with a school-record 6.09 kills per game. She also set Texas A&M and Big 12 season records with 700 total kills and 6.73 points per game in her senior season.
"Laura and I have know each other for quite a while, and she'll be a tremendous asset to our program," Mock said. "She'll bring a fresh approach with a new approach in terms of drills and the way we practice. With Laura on the staff, this team has no boundaries."
Last December, Jones was selected to the 12-member NCAA Division I all-America first team by the American Volleyball Coaches' Association. Jones - a second team all-America pick in 2004 - is the school's fourth two-time all-America performer and the third A&M pnlayer to receive first team honors.
Jones led the Aggies in kills in 29 of 30 matches and is the only player in the Big 12 to tally 30 or more kills in a match last season. She accomplished the feat eight times, including a school-record 38 kills in the regular-season finale at No. 10 Missouri.
Jones, who played in every match during her career, shattered the A&M all-time career kill record with 2,064, breaking the previous record of 1,777 set by Kristie Smedsrud (1994-97). Her 700 kills this season obliterated the previous mark of 577 set by Sheila Morgan in 1993 and also broke the Big 12 record of 622 set by Dawn Cady of
Kansas State in 1999.
Jones twice earned Big 12 Volleyball Player of the Week honors this year and was named Most Valuable Player at the Texas A&M/McDonald's Invitational. She also earned all-tournament honors at the UTSA Dome Rally in San Antonio. In addition, Jones was named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team this season after taking home
second-team honors in 2004.
