TCU’s Becca Kelley (offensive), Iowa State’s Rachel Van Gorp (defensive) and Kansas’ Reese Messer (setter) and Taylor Stanley (rookie) were recognized as the Big 12 volleyball weekly award winners for the first week of league play.
 
Kelley helped TCU extend its winning streak to nine matches, tied for the second-longest streak in program history and the program's longest since 2012. The senior outside hitter averaged 4.79 points per set and 4.29 kills per set during the opening Conference play weekend while hitting .333. Kelley posted back-to-back double-doubles in a pair of road victories, totaling 30 kills and 23 digs. She recorded 13 kills, 12 digs and four blocks in a sweep of Cincinnati before adding 17 kills and 11 digs in a four-set win at West Virginia.
 
Van Gorp led Iowa State's back-row effort in a pair of five-set league victories. The junior libero registered her third career 30-plus dig match and first of the season with 30 digs in a road win at Texas Tech before adding 23 digs against UCF. Van Gorp finished the weekend with 53 digs, the most in the Conference, and averaged 5.30 per set to mark the sixth-highest mark nationally for the week. Her 30 digs in Lubbock mark the most by a Big 12 player in a single match this season.
 
Messer directed Kansas to sweeps of Houston and Texas Tech. The sophomore led the Big 12 during the week of Sept. 21-27 with 11.33 assists per set and finished with 68 total assists across six sets. Messer added 11 digs, eight kills, two service aces and two blocks as the Jayhawks improved their win streak to eight games. Kansas is one of five Big 12 teams unbeaten in Conference play.
 
Stanley tallied a Conference-leading 6.08 points per set and ranked second in kills per set (4.83) for the week. The freshman outside hitter continued her streak of double-digit kill performances in every match this season, highlighted by a 17-kill outing against Houston. Stanley totaled 29 kills, 20 digs, nine blocks and three service aces on the weekend while hitting .328 as Kansas earned a pair of straight-set victories.
 
Joining Kelley, Van Gorp, Messer and Stanley on the Big 12 Starting Seven, which honors standout performances across the Conference, are Kansas' Reese Ptacek and Utah's Princess Atamah and Sierra Grizzle. Ptacek ranked second in the Big 12 during the week with 1.83 blocks per set, highlighted by a season-best eight-block performance against Houston, before hitting .684 with a team-high 14 kills versus Texas Tech. Atamah helped Utah open league play 2-0 by leading the Big 12 in total blocks (14) and blocks per set (2.00) against No. 17 Baylor and No. 21 Colorado. Grizzle anchored Utah's defense with 31 digs and averaged 4.43 digs per set (second in the Big 12) as the Utes defeated the Bears and Buffaloes.
 
Big 12 Players of the Week
Offensive Player of the Week – Becca Kelley, TCU, OH, Sr.
Defensive Player of the Week – Rachel Van Gorp, Iowa State, L, Jr.
Setter of the Week – Reese Messer, Kansas, S, So.
Rookie of the Week – Taylor Stanley, Kansas, OH, Fr.
 
Big 12 Starting Seven:
Rachel Van Gorp, Iowa State, L, Jr. (defensive)
Reese Messer, Kansas, S, So. (setter)
Reese Ptacek, Kansas, MB, Jr.
Taylor Stanley, Kansas, OH, Fr. (rookie)
Becca Kelley, TCU, OH, Sr. (offensive)
Princess Atamah, Utah, MB, Fr.
Sierra Grizzle, Utah, L, Sr.