Volleyball

VB: AVCA Announces Four CUSA Players to All-Region Teams, Briggs Named Player of the Year

2023 All-Region Awards
 
DALLAS – Conference USA has four student-athletes, representing two schools, on the 2023 American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Region List, the organization announced Tuesday. Paige Briggs was named the South Region Player of the Year.
 
Briggs becomes the second Hilltopper to win Player of the Year recognition after she earned the honor after the 2020-21 campaign. The senior outside hitter led CUSA, collecting 457 kills (3.97 per set) on the season, putting her third all-time in WKU history. The Ortonville, Michigan native also ranked at the top of the league in service aces (58) and points (547). Briggs earned CUSA Player of the Year honors for the first time in her career in 2023 and has been named a First-Team All-Conference member in all five seasons.
 
Fellow teammates Kaylee Cox and Callie Bauer also earned recognition from the AVCA after leading the Hilltoppers to another CUSA title and a second-round appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Cox was a First Team All-Conference USA in her first year at WKU, finishing fourth in the league in kills per set (3.29) and tallied her 1,000th career kill in her final match of the season. The Flower Mound, Texas product averaged 2.64 digs per set and totaled 60.0 blocks per set in 2023.
 
After winning CUSA Freshman of the Year one year ago, Bauer takes home AVCA All-Region for the second time in as many years. The sophomore setter assisted her team to the sixth highest hitting percentage in the country (.303) and was the CUSA leader in total assists (1,246) and second in assists per set (10.47). Bauer also picked up 136 kills on a .375 clip while adding 27 aces and 63.0 blocks in 119 sets this season.
 
Liberty junior middle blocker Madison Blane was named to the South Region first team, becoming the first Flame since 2012 to do so. Blane was recently tabbed as the CUSA Defensive Player of the Year and is the eighth player in league history to win Player of the Week and Defensive Player of the Week honors in the same season. The Montgomery, Texas native led CUSA and ranked 10th nationally in hitting percentage (.418) and is second in the league in blocks per set (1.30).
 
South Region Player of the Year
Paige Briggs, WKU
 
South Region First Team
Madison Blane, Liberty
Paige Briggs, WKU
Kaylee Cox, WKU
 
South Region Honorable Mention
Callie Bauer, WKU