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IRVING, Texas — After one of the best single-season performances in program history last fall, Audrey Nalls has been named to the 2023 All-Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Team.
Nalls was one of five unanimous selections and one of 16 student-athletes tabbed to the preseason team. She is the first Horned Frog unanimous selection since Katie Clark in 2020 and the 11th TCU selection to the All-Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Team since the Horned Frogs joined the Big 12 Conference.
Nalls’ 2022 season was the most decorated of her career. She garnered American Volleyball Coaches’ Association (AVCA) All-Southwest Region Team honors, becoming the fifth Horned Frog in program history to achieve the award.
The fifth-year outside hitter from Waxahachie was a unanimous First Team All-Big 12 selection in 2022. She earned Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week 4 times and was the only Big 12 player to receive the award on 4 separate occasions during the season.
She tallied a team-best 470.5 points and 424 kills across 28 matches, averaging 3.85 kills per set. In set two of TCU’s NCAA First Round defeat of Washington, Nalls landed her 400th kill of the fall — becoming the first Horned Frog to achieve the milestone in 11 years of Big 12 membership.
Nalls’ 424 kills were the eighth-most by any player in a single season in program history and the most in a single season since Ellen Rehme (501) in 2004. Her kills-per-set average was even better, as it now occupies the No. 7 slot on the Horned Frogs’ individual single-season records list.
In addition, Nalls was even more of a threat within conference play. She led all Big 12 players in kills (266), kills per set (4.39), points (239) and points per set (4.80) across 15 conference matches. Nalls also tallied seven of her team and conference-leading nine performances with 20-or-more kills against Big 12 opponents.
The Horned Frogs were also picked fourth (106) in the Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Poll, the highest selection for TCU since being selected third in 2019.
From the TCU Athletics recap of Nalls’ record-setting 2022 (4th year) and the 2023 All-Big 12 preseason team and rankings to follow:
Nalls enjoyed the greatest single-season turnaround of any Power Five conference volleyball player … Named to the AVCA All-Southwest Region Team … Became the first Horned Frog since 2017 and fifth outside hitter in program history to receive the prestigious accolade … Was a unanimous All-Big 12 first team selection … Named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week a conference-leading four times during conference play … Is just the ninth player in the history of the conference win the weekly award four times in a season … Led the Big 12 in total kills (266), kills per set (4.36), total points (293) and points per set (4.80) … For the season, amassed a team and conference-leading 424 kills … Owns the distinction of being the first player in TCU’s Big 12 era to land 400 kills in a season … Her 424 kills rank eighth on TCU’s all-time individual season career records list … Also led TCU in total points (470.5), points per set (4.28) and kills per set (3.85) … Her kills per set average was the seventh best single-season mark in program history … Started 27 of TCU’s 28 matches at outside hitter … Reached double figures in kills in 20 matches – 13 of which came at the expense of Big 12 opponents … Exceeded 20 kills on nine occasions … Helped TCU to an 8-1 record when she eclipsed the 20-kill threshold … Torched Texas Tech for a career-high 26 kills as a part of a 3-1 win on Oct. 8 … Posted a 25-kill, 13-dig double-double to lead TCU to a five-set win over Indiana on Sept. 9 … Finished with 25 kills again during TCU’s 3-1 NCAA Tournament victory over No. 25 Washington on Dec. 2 … Hammered home 24 kills apiece in wins over West Virginia on Sept. 29 and Kansas State on Oct. 15 … Poured in 22 kills in both of TCU’s meetings vs. Baylor (Sept. 21, Nov. 12) as well as the Horned Frogs’ reverse sweep of Kansas on Oct. 26 … Hit over .300 in seven outings … Defensively, concluded the season with a career-high 230 digs – the third-most of any Horned Frog – and six double-doubles … Recorded a single-game career high 17 digs as a part of a double-double in the Horned Frogs’ senior day victory against Kansas State on Nov. 19 … Rattled off three consecutive double-doubles from Sept. 21-29 at Baylor and in wins over Iowa State and West Virginia … Notched her fifth double-double of the fall in the form of a 16-kill, 12-dig effort in a 3-1 takedown of Oklahoma on Oct. 21 … Also ranked third on the squad with 50 total blocks … Dished out a career-high 29 assists.
2023 All-Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Team
Averi Carlson, Baylor*
Allie Sczech, Baylor
Whitney Bower, BYU
Erin Livingston, BYU*
Abby Hansen, UCF
Kate Georgiades, Houston
Kenna Sauer, Houston
Maya Duckworth, Iowa State
Camryn Turner, Kansas
Sydney Bolding, K-State
Aliyah Carter, K-State
Audrey Nalls, TCU* (Waxahachie High)
Asjia O’Neal, Texas*
Molly Phillips, Texas (Mansfield High)
Madisen Skinner, Texas*
Jenna Wenaas, Texas
2023 All-Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Poll
1. Texas (12) 144
2. BYU (1) 125
3. Baylor 123
4. TCU 106
5. Kansas 105
6. Houston 91
7. Iowa State 81
8. K-State 63
9. UCF 51
10. Oklahoma 45
11. Texas Tech 37
12. Cincinnati 23
13. West Virginia 20
