Havili Claims First Big 12 Rookie of the Week Award

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year, Jayhawk setter Ainise Havili, picked up her first Big 12 Rookie of the Week honor thanks to her league-leading performance the week of Oct. 6-12.
 
On the road against Baylor, Havili did what she’s been known for all season, picking up her ninth double-double of the year – and her fifth in the last six matches. For her young career, Havili already has nine double-doubles in only 18 career contests, good for third-most in the Big 12.
 
Havili was named the Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year, the first such selection in KU history, after playing in Guatemala for the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team this summer. Now well into the swing of collegiate volleyball, Havili’s 11.18 assist average ranks second in the league by a mere .01 assist per set. Her 14.00 dime average last week bested all Big 12 setters by more than 2.5 assists per set.
 
Against the Bears on Friday night, Havili recorded a career-high 56 assists, her fifth 50-plus performance of the season, and added 13 digs. Her three assists and no errors from the service line took a backseat to her double-digit numbers, but played an equally important role. For the season, Havili is well-past the 700-assist mark (760) and is now only 30 away from breaking into the top-five of KU’s freshman assists record.
 
This marks the first weekly honor for Havili, and the second Player of the Week award for Kansas. Fellow freshman Madison Rigdon was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 22.
 
UP NEXT
Kansas continues its Big 12 slate on the road at West Virginia on Oct. 15. First serve is set for 5:30 p.m. CT.
 
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