Kansas pair Kelsie Payne and Cassie Wait along with West Virginia freshman Payton Caffrey collect Big 12 volleyball weekly awards for matches played from October 11-15.
Payne and Wait helped extend KU’s winning streak to five matches as the sixth-ranked Jayhawks picked up a pair of wins over two top-30 RPI opponents last week. Payne secures her fifth career Offensive Player of the Week, while Wait hauls in her seventh career Defensive Player of the Week honor, including her third this season. Wait’s seven awards tie for the fourth-most by a single player in conference history.
Caffrey is the Freshman of the Week for the fifth time this season, which is one honor shy of the single-season record of six.
OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Kelsie Payne, Kansas, Jr., RS, Austin, Texas/John B. Connally
- For the second time in four matches, Payne nearly recorded a triple-double with 16 kills (.371 hitting), 10 digs and seven blocks for her fifth double-double of the season at TCU last Saturday.
- Ranked second in the league on the week in points per set (5.75), totaling 34.50 points with 27 kills, 11 blocks and two aces.
- Ranked third in kills per set during Big 12 week eight action (4.50) and third in blocks per set (1.83).
- Began the week with 14 points during KU’s three-set victory over Kansas State with 11 kills, six digs, four blocks and an ace.
- Closing in on becoming the 15th Jayhawk to reach 1,000 career kills, entering this week with 920.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Cassie Wait, Kansas, Sr., L, Gardner, Kan./Gardner-Edgerton
- Led the Big 12 in digs per set (6.50) during week eight play.
- Recorded 25 digs in three sets at TCU (Oct. 15) for the most digs of any Big 12 player during the week, the most digs in a three-set match in conference play and the third-most digs overall during Big 12 play.
- Helped hold TCU to its lowest hitting percentage of the season (.056).
- Her 10 digs in the second set at TCU marked the second time this season she has record double-figure digs in a set on the year.
- Posted 14 digs during KU’s three-set sweep over Kansas State last Wednesday. Six of her 14 digs during the Sunflower Showdown were converted into kills.
- Leads the Big 12 in digs per set (5.18) and digs per set during conference play (5.33).
- Cracked the Big 12 top 10 list for career digs with 1,724 career digs, which ranks second on KU’s all-time digs list.
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Payton Caffrey, West Virginia, OH, Chuluota, Fla./Winter Springs
- Led all Big 12 freshman on the week in kills per set (4.86) and points per set (5.21), ranking second and third, respectively.
- Totaled 34 kills, three block assists and a service ace on the week.
- Recorded 17 kills in each match, tying for the fourth-most in the league on the week.
- Averaged 1.57 digs per set, recording eight vs. Baylor.
Courtesy of The Big 12
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