BYU's Elli Mortensen (offensive) and Kelli Jo Burgess (defensive), along with TCU's Rosemary Archer (setter) and Kinsley Young (rookie) were recognized as the Big 12 Volleyball weekly award winners for the sixth week of the 2026 season.
Mortensen earned Offensive Player of the Week honors after leading BYU to a pair of road victories in Kansas. The junior outside hitter recorded a team-high 33 kills while hitting .467 across seven sets and averaged 4.71 kills, 5.29 points, 2.14 digs and 1.14 blocks per set. She posted a career-high 19 kills and her second career double-double, while hitting .630 in a four-set win at K-State. Mortensen followed that performance with 14 kills and a career-high five blocks in a sweep of Kansas. It is her first Conference weekly award of her career.
Burgess collected Defensive Player of the Week recognition after anchoring BYU at the net in a pair of Conference road wins. The fifth-year senior middle blocker totaled 15 blocks and averaged 2.14 blocks per set, including a match-high 10 blocks against K-State for her second double-digit block performance of the season and third of her career. Both marks led the Big 12 for the week, as she sits atop the season leaderboards in both categories. Burgess added five more blocks in a sweep of Kansas and chipped in eight kills while hitting .353 on the weekend. This is Burgess’ third Defensive Player of the Week award, the most by a single Cougar in program history.
Archer secured Setter of the Week honors after guiding TCU to two home victories and extending the Horned Frogs' winning streak to 11 matches, the second-longest streak in program history. The fifth-year setter averaged 9.50 assists per set and distributed 76 assists across eight sets while directing a TCU offense that hit .303 and averaged 14.13 kills per set. Archer tallied 35 assists and 13 digs in a win over No. 24 Colorado before recording 41 assists and helping the Frogs hit .333 in a victory over UCF. She finished the weekend with 20 digs and two service aces. This is her first career Conference award.
Young garnered Rookie of the Week honors after tying for the Conference lead with 15 total blocks and ranking second in the Big 12 with 1.88 blocks per set. The freshman middle blocker recorded the first double-double of her career with 10 kills and 11 blocks against the Buffaloes, becoming the first TCU middle blocker to post a double-double since 2021. Her 11 blocks are tied for the most by any Big 12 player this season. Young also contributed offensively with 18 kills on a .366 hitting percentage and added four service aces while helping TCU improve to 13-2, matching the best 15-match start in program history. This is Young’s second Big 12 award this season.
Joining Mortensen, Burgess, Archer and Young on the Big 12 Starting Seven, which honors strong performances across the league, are Houston's Shannon Dworaczyk, Kansas' Reese Messer and K-State's Addison Massey. Dworaczyk helped Houston to a .294 hitting percentage during a 2-0 week while ranking second in the Big 12 with 10.88 assists per set and recording her first career double-double. Messer added 63 assists across six sets to her Big 12-leading season total, as well as 17 digs, seven kills and two blocks for the week to help Kansas earn a ranked win over No. 23 Utah. Massey led the Big 12 with 5.14 kills per set and totaled 36 kills, including a career-high 23-kill performance against No. 18 BYU, for her third 20-kill match of the season.
Big 12 Players of the Week
Offensive Player of the Week – Elli Mortensen, BYU, OH, Jr.
Defensive Player of the Week – Kelli Jo Burgess, BYU, MB, Sr.
Setter of the Week – Rosemary Archer, TCU, S, 5th
Rookie of the Week – Kinsley Young, TCU, MB, Fr.
Big 12 Starting Seven
Kelli Jo Burgess, BYU, MB, Sr. (defensive)
Elli Mortensen, BYU, OH, Jr. (offensive)
Shannon Dworaczyk, Houston, S, Fr.
Reese Messer, Kansas, S, So.
Addison Massey, Kansas State, PIN, Fr.
Rosemary Archer, TCU, S, 5th (setter)
Kinsley Young, TCU, MB, Fr. (rookie)