Six Hilltoppers earn All-CUSA honors, Bauer named Player of the Year

DALLAS, Texas – Conference USA announced their postseason awards on Wednesday, with WKU Volleyball earning four superlatives and placing a total of six players across the All-Conference and All-Freshmen Teams.

Callie Bauer became the eighth—and fifth straight—player in program history to earn the Alyssa Cavanaugh Player of the Year award. In addition, Bauer also earned her second consecutive Setter of the Year award.

A Hilltopper has earned CUSA’s top honor every year since the conference renamed the award after Alyssa Cavanaugh in 2021.

Izzy Van De Wiele earned WKU’s second CUSA Defensive Player of the Year award while Kaira Knox earned Freshman of the Year honors.

Alivia Skidmore and Faith Young were named First Team All-Conference along with Bauer, Van De Wiele, and Knox. The announcement marks the first time Knox, Skidmore and Young have been named First Team All-Conference while the honor is Van De Wiele’s second. This is Bauer’s third straight year earning First Team All-Conference honors. Tayler Baron was also named Second Team All-Conference.

Last but certainly not least, Knox was also named to the CUSA All-Freshmen team.

CUSA Postseason Awards Breakdown

Callie Bauer – Alyssa Cavanaugh Player of the Year, Setter of the Year, First Team All-Conference

Izzy Van De Wiele – Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-Conference

Kaira Knox – Freshman of the Year, First Team All-Conference

Alivia Skidmore – First Team All-Conference

Faith Young – First Team All-Conference

Tayler Baron – Second Team All-Conference

Both of Bauer’s honors come after a season that has cemented her legacy as one of WKU’s best setters. She’s won Conference USA Setter of the Week seven times that featured a stretch of three consecutive awards for the redshirt senior. For the second-straight season, she’s led WKU to a Top 5 hitting percentage in the country, currently sitting third at .307. WKU’s offensive success is largely due to Bauer’s success at the setter position, currently at 931 assists on the season and an average of 10.23 assists per set. In the conference rankings, she’s also ranked first in assists per set and third in total assists. Bauer has also played a part in WKU’s national team ranking in assists per set, currently sitting fourth (and first in CUSA) with an average of 13.65 assists per set. In addition, her abilities as a setter have helped WKU to a fifth-best kills per set percentage nationally at 14.59. One of two six rotation players for the Tops, she’s also racked up 80 kills, 22 service aces, 196 digs, and 27 blocks. Her performance on all fronts has earned her four double-doubles this season, and she’s earned 16 total during her career. Her 4,800 assists also have her ranked fourth all-time in career assists at WKU. Last but certainly not least, Bauer helped lead the Hilltoppers to their 100-straight regular season conference with the 100th coming against Sam Houston at home.

Van De Wiele’s First Team All-Conference honor comes after a season where she has helped the WKU defense to a second-place ranking in overall opponent hitting percentage (.169) and first in conference-only opponent hitting percentage (.163). In addition, she’s helped WKU to third in overall blocks per set (2.47) and first in solo blocks (71). Individually, she’s currently first in the conference in blocks per set (1.28) and sixth in hitting percentage (.344). She leads the Hilltoppers in both total blocks (94) and blocks per set at 1.29. On offense, she’s posted 183 total kills and is averaging 2.51 kills per set on a .338 hitting percentage. Van De Wiele is also in the Top 50 nationally in blocks per set, ranked 45th. She’s also led the Hilltoppers to a Top 50 ranking in blocks per set as a team, with WKU sitting 50th.

With Wednesday’s announcement, Knox becomes the eighth Freshman of the Year in WKU Volleyball program history. What may be most impressive about her offensive production was her ability to stay ranked in the Top 10 in Conference USA in kills per set throughout the entire season, despite missing at least 18 sets of play. Her 22 kills against Indiana on Sept. 19 were crucial in WKU’s 3-0 sweep of then-RV Indiana and are the most of any Hilltopper this season. Those 22 kills against Indiana were also the most in a single match by a freshman in over 22 years. In addition, Knox’s single match hitting percentage of .737 against Middle Tennessee is the best of any player this season. While she’s been a massive standout offensively, her defensive abilities have been just as important. One of two six-rotation players for WKU, she’s contributed to every statistical category this season. Her 43 blocks are third-most amongst the Hilltoppers and while on the back row, she’s collected 104 digs. At the service line, she’s recorded 12 service aces while also being a help to the offense with 12 assists.

Faith Young has become arguably WKU’s best and most consistent player this season and has been rewarded with her first CUSA First Team All-Conference honor. She leads the conference in conference-only hitting percentage (.448) and is ranked 27th nationally in hitting percentage on the season (.398). Young is just as lethal at the service line as she is at the net, racking up a team-high 29 service aces and is averaging 0.33 service aces per set. When looking at overall statistics, she’s second in the conference in both hitting percentage and total kills. On defense, she’s ranked second amongst the Hilltoppers in total blocks (60) and is averaging 0.69 blocks per set. Her efforts at the net and service ling have also helped the Hilltoppers to the third-best overall blocks per set rate at 2.47 per set and fourth in opponent kills per set at 11.42.

With the departure of Kaylee Cox, Alivia Skidmore has more than stepped up for the Hilltoppers and has been rewarded with CUSA First Team All-Conference. A steady presence on the left side, Skidmore has racked up a team-high 316 kills on a .283 hitting percentage and is averaging 3.40 kills per set. She’s tied for sixth in the conference at 3.40 kills per set and is eighth in total kills with 316. She’s also been the lead offensive weapon for a WKU offense that’s ranked third in the country in hitting percentage (.307) and fifth in kills per set (14.59). On defense, Skidmore’s also posted 41 total blocks including 11 solo stuffs and at the service line, she’s collected a total of nine service aces.