Baylor volleyball’s Katie Staiger was voted to the 2016 American Volleyball Coaches Association Division I Southwest Region First Team, announced Tuesday morning by the AVCA and voted on by the region’s head coaches.
Staiger’s award adds to what has already been a record-breaking season for the redshirt junior, snapping the Baylor record for single-season kills and finishing with the second-most kills in a season in Big 12 history.
The Plano, Texas, native has already earned All-Big 12 first team honors after leading the Big 12 in kills, points, kills/set, and points/set, while ranking in the top-four nationally in all four categories.
Staiger also finished the season leading the nation in total attacks, taking an unreal 1,773 swings this season.
The star outside hitter was the first Baylor student-athlete to earn a spot on the All-Region first team since both Taylor Barnes and Anna Breyfogle earned the honors in 2009, with both going on to earn BU its only two All-Americans in program history.
Staiger becomes the tenth Baylor player to earn All-Region honors and just the sixth to land on the first team. The award is the 13th All-Region nod in program history.
She was a key driving force behind Baylor’s remarkable season, finishing with an overall record of 22-12. BU earned its first 20-win season since 2012 and the most wins since the 2009 team won 24.
BU finished Big 12 play at 9-7, tied for fourth in the conference, matching the record for BU’s best-ever finish in the final standings. Additionally, the .647 winning percentage is the second-highest finish in conference (.650, 13-7, 1999) and the third winning record in conference play in program history (1999, 2009, 2016).
The Bears ended the 2016 season in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the first postseason berth for the program since 2011. BU upset No. 14 San Diego in the opening round before falling to the 10-seed and No. 8-ranked UCLA in the second round.
Up next, Staiger will be considered for a spot on one of the 14-member First, Second, or Third Team All-American teams voted on by the AVCA membership and announced next week.
