K-State senior opposite Bryna Vogel and redshirt freshman middle blocker Peyton Williams were each named All-Big 12 selections, the conference office announced Monday. That’s according to a release from K-State.
Vogel collected her second consecutive second-team honor while Williams earned a spot on the all-freshman team. Both were named First Team Academic All-Big 12 earlier this season.
A native of Clearwater, Kansas, Vogel was a six-rotation player for K-State each of the last three years and was the squad’s lone senior in 2017, where she eclipsed 300 digs for the third consecutive season. In her senior year, she averaged a career-best 3.10 digs per set to go with 242 kills (2.42 per set), 56 total blocks (0.56 per set) and 16 service aces. She collected a career-high 29 digs on October 28 at Texas Tech, the highest output by a non-libero Wildcat in the rally-scoring era.
Before a knee injury ended her senior season, Vogel (970 digs) was on pace to become the fourth Wildcat to join the 1,000-digs club as a non-libero in the rally-scoring era. She ended her career with 851 kills and 201 total blocks to go with her 970 digs.
Williams, a product of Topeka, had a breakout year after redshirting last season, as she also played for the K-State women’s basketball program. The 6-foot-4 middle blocker earned Big 12 Freshman of the Week following the season’s opening weekend after hitting over .700 twice. She continued to pace the Wildcats in offensive efficiency and ended the season with a .309 hitting percentage, K-State’s highest season total since 2012 (Kaitlynn Pelger, .317), and ranked first among Big 12 freshmen.
She ended her season one block shy of the team lead in total blocks with 88 (Macy Flowers) and was second with her 0.86 blocks per set average. Her 1.87 kills per set and 191 kills both ranked fourth on the team.
Vogel’s and Williams’ honors make 45 all-conference selections under 17th year head coach Suzie Fritz, and it is the 13th season in which multiple players received all-league recognition.
K-State (10-19, 3-13 Big 12) concluded its 2017 season on Wednesday, November 22 with a three-set defeat to West Virginia. The Cats’ streak of three straight NCAA Tournament appearances came to an end with their first sub-.500 season since 2010.
