Colorado State University Athletics
Barnes, Fornstrom Earn Preseason All-Conference Honors
8/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Aug. 1, 2007
Colorado Springs, Colo. - Middle-blocker Mekana Barnes and setter Ashley Fornstrom, both juniors, have garnered preseason All-Mountain West recognition. The conference made the announcement today.
Barnes, a 6-foot student-athlete from Highlands Ranch, Colo., last year finished in the Top 10 among conference leaders in hitting efficiency (eighth, .286), service aces (ninth, 0.32 sapg) and points per game (eighth, 4.05 ppg).
Fornstrom, a standout performer from Cheyenne, Wyo., started 30 matches at setter and played in 110 games last season. She had 1,384 assists on the year, including 22 matches of 40-or-more assists.
The Rams, the defending Mountain West tournament champions, were picked by a panel of the nine conference head coaches and selected media to finish second in 2007. Tom Hilbert's team received five of 14 first-place votes. The panel chose BYU as the preseason favorite.
Five of six starters return from 2006, when the Rams were playing their best volleyball at the end of the season. CSU plays one of the toughest schedules in the nation. The year begins in Honolulu Aug. 24, when the team meets Oregon State in the Asics Challenge.
Fans, check out the fall sports preview video on Ram Highlights.
2007 PRESEASON ALL-MWC TEAM
Player, Class, Position, Team
Chelsea Goodman, Sr., OH, BYU
Erica Lott, Sr., OH, BYU
Mekana Barnes, Jr., MB, CSU
Maria Aladjova, Sr., OH, UNLV
Whitney Webb, Sr., OH/MB, Utah
Setter: Ashley Fornstrom, Jr., CSU
Libero: Aime Cordeiro, Jr., SDSU
Preseason Player of the Year: Chelsea Goodman, BYU
2007 PRESEASON VOLLEYBALL COACHES' POLL
Pl. Team (1st place votes) - Points
1. BYU (8) - 119
2. Colorado State (5) - 113
3. Utah - 108
4. UNLV (1) - 88
5. New Mexico - 54
6. San Diego State - 51
7. Wyoming - 50
8. TCU - 43
9. Air Force - 14
