🏐 Jayhawk Volleyball Places Three on AVCA Midwest All-Region Team

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Three members of the Kansas Volleyball team earned a spot on the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Midwest All-Region team, which was announced on Tuesday.

Caroline Bien was named the Regional Freshman of the Year and earned a spot on the All-Region Team along with Caroline Crawford, while Jenny Mosser received All-Region Honorable Mention.

Bien becomes the second Jayhawk to be named AVCA Region Freshman of the Year, joining Tayler Soucie, who earned the honor in 2013. She was previously named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year and an All-Big 12 First Team selection after leading the Jayhawks with 329 kills this season, an average of 2.96 per set. The Overland Park, Kansas, native also leads the team with 28 service aces and ranks third on the team with 274 digs while holding a hitting percentage of .218 for the year. Bien has continued her stellar play this postseason as she tied a career-high with 21 kills and hit .306 in the Jayhawks second-round NCAA Tournament victory over Creighton. Bien tallied 13 kills and nine digs in the opening round win over Oregon.

Crawford earns All-Midwest Region honors for the second consecutive season after receiving honorable mention during the 2020-21 season. She was also named Second Team All-Big 12, garnering all-conference accolades for the second straight season, and she was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week for the week of November 30. A sophomore from Lansing, Kansas, Crawford is tied for the team lead with 125 blocks (26 solo, 99 assist) this season and she’s hitting a team-best .303 with 248 kills to her credit. In two NCAA Tournament matches, she has been even better, averaging 3.0 kills per set and hitting .419 with eight blocks in seven sets of action.

Mosser also picked up her second consecutive All-Midwest Region selection after previously being named 2021 All-Big 12 Second Team. She ranks second on the team with 319 kills, an average of 2.87 per set, and 275 digs while recording 10 double-doubles this season. The super-senior from Lakeville, Minnesota, has more than 1,300-career kills to her credit, including 548 during her two years with the Jayhawks. Mosser has also recorded 26 service aces and 52 blocks (16 solo, 36 assist) this season.

Kansas Volleyball (18-11) has already defeated two ranked teams during their postseason run, which resumes on Thursday, Dec. 9 with a Sweet Sixteen matchup against No. 3 Pittsburgh. That match will begin at 12 p.m. CT and be broadcast by ESPN+.