Schaben Leads Iowa State All-Big 12 Honorees

AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State volleyball team got a variety of postseason honors from the Big 12 Monday afternoon. Jess Schaben was named to the All-Big 12 First Team, while Grace Lazard and Samara West were both All-Big 12 Second Team selections. Hali Hillegas was a unanimous choice to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team.

A year after being on the All-Big 12 Second Team, Schaben has made the step up to the All-Big 12 First Team, receiving the fifth-most votes among the 14-student-athlete First Team. The 2015 Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Schaben has continued her outstanding play in a season which she moved to six rotations. The Defiance, Iowa native leads Iowa State and ranks eighth in the conference with her 3.37 kills per set, she has also posted 2.35 digs per set in back-row duty.

Lazard started the season out as a reserve middle blocker, but has quickly risen up the ranks to be among the most powerful hitters in the Big 12 and earning All-Big 12 Second Team honors. In Big 12 competition, the sophomore from London averaged 2.22 kills per set at a .309 hitting percentage while also posting a team-high 0.85 blocks per set. All eight of Lazard's matches with at least 10 kills came against Big 12 opposition.

West's path to All-Big 12 Second Team was also circuitous. She started the season out starting in the middle, before making a trip to the bench in place of the aforementioned Lazard. When ISU moved to its 6-2 offense at Texas on Oct. 8, West got her chance back on the court on the right side and took full advantage. During Big 12 play, West recorded 2.07 kills per set at a team-best .324 hitting percentage. She was also third on the squad in blocking at 0.57 blocks per set. The redshirt sophomore from Omaha was the start of ISU's win over No. 5 Texas, recording a career-best 16 kills while defeating the Longhorns.

Hillegas' appearance on the All-Freshman Team marks the fifth-straight season a Cyclone has been on the All-Freshman Team. One of three unanimous selections to the All-Freshman Team, the redshirt freshman from Charles City quickly proved she had what it took to go from walk-on to one of the top liberos in the Big 12. She finished conference play ranking third with her 4.75 digs per set, posting at least 10 digs in all 16 conference matches. Hillegas' 33 digs at No. 4 Kansas on Nov. 19 was the second-most digs in a match by a Big 12 player in 2016.

To see the full All-Big 12 teams, and postseason award winners, click here.

The Cyclones will take place in the first round of the NCAA Volleyball Championship Thursday in Columbia, Missouri against Purdue. First serve between the Cyclones and Boilermakers at the Hearnes Center will be at 4:30 p.m.

Players Mentioned

Hali Hillegas

Grace Lazard

Jess Schaben

Samara West

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics