Nebraska was picked to win its third straight and fourth overall Big 12 Conference title in 2001 in a preseason poll voted on by the league head coaches. The Huskers received nine first-place votes (coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team) and totaled 99 points, eight points ahead of second-place Texas A&M, which had 91 points and two first-place votes. Texas placed third with 83 points, followed by a tie for fourth place with Missouri and Oklahoma both accumulating 62 points. Nebraska won the first Big 12 title in 1996 and captured the previous two in 1999 and 2000. Texas A&M took the 1997 crown, followed by Baylor in 1998. The top three teams in the 2001 preseason poll finished the 2000 campaign in the same order. The Huskers compiled a 9-1 Big 12 mark last season and also won the Big 12 Tournament title while completing the season with a 22-2 record. Texas A&M was runner-up in 2000 with an 8-2 conference record and 18-7 overall mark. Texas finished third last year at 7-3 in Big 12 play and 12-7 overall. Nebraska and Texas A&M both advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Eleven of the 12 members of the 2001 All-Big 12 Soccer Preseason Team were named to one of the 2000 All-Big 12 teams (first, second or newcomer). First-team members in 2000 included: Nebraska’s Breanna Boyd, Meghan Anderson and Christine Latham and Texas’ Kati McBain and Kylee Wosnuk. Texas A&M’s Nicky Thrasher was a first team member in 1999 before suffering a season-ending injury last season. McBain and Wosnuk were also on the 2000 All-Newcomer Team in addition to A&M’s Esther Thompson, Adrienne Dillard and Kristen Strutz on the 2001 preseason team that features five sophomores. Baylor’s Tamura Crawley and NU’s Kelly Rheem were named to the All-Big 12 second team a year ago. Colorado’s Whitney Peterson is making her first appearance on an All-Big 12 team. 2001 Big 12 Preseason Poll 1. Nebraska (9) — 99 2. Texas A&M (2) — 91 3. Texas — 83 4. Missouri — 62 4. Oklahoma — 62 6. Baylor — 61 7. Kansas — 46 8. Colorado — 38 9. Iowa State — 26 10. Texas Tech — 19 11. Oklahoma State — 18 First place votes in parenthesis 2001 Preseason All-Big 12 Team GK – Whitney Peterson, Colorado, Sr, Denver, Colo. ** GK – Esther Thompson, Texas A&M, So, Waxhaw, N.C. ** D – Tamura Crawley, Baylor, Jr, Dallas, Texas D – Breanna Boyd, Nebraska, Jr, Calgary, Alberta, Canada D – Adrienne Dillard, Texas A&M, So, Spring, Texas MF – Meghan Anderson, Nebraska, Sr, Omaha, Neb. MF – Kati McBain, Texas, So, Los Altos, Calif. MF – Kristen Strutz, Texas A&M, So, Spring, Texas F – Christine Latham, Nebraska, Jr, Calgary, Alberta, Canada F – Nicky Thrasher, Texas A&M, Sr, El Paso, Texas F – Kylee Wosnuk, Texas, So, Folsom, Calif. F – Kelly Rheem, Nebraska, Sr, Littleton, Colo. **Tied for position.