ISU Earns Big 12 Libero and Setter of the Year, Five Cyclones Named to All-Big 12 Teams

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State was well represented in the 2025 Big 12 Volleyball Awards as Cyclones secured Libero of the Year, Setter of the Year, three All-Big 12 First and Second Team honors and two All-Rookie selections. The Cyclones honored are Rachel Van Gorp, Morgan Brandt, Tierney Jackson, Alea Goolsby and Reagan Hanfelt.

Van Gorp was the unanimous selection for Big 12 Libero of the Year, also a unanimous choice for First Team All-Big 12. The star defender is the 11th Cyclone to pick up Libero of the Year, while the next-highest team total is four. Van Gorp is the third true sophomore to earn Big 12 Libero of the Year in program history and has put together a stellar season.

The Olathe, Kan. native has reached double figure digs in every match this season, including 10 20-plus matches. In four matches, Van Gorp totaled 20 through just three sets. The libero averaged 4.83 per set in Big 12 play and 4.68 through the season, and has totaled 515 digs, 112 assists and 31 aces in 2025. Van Gorp also earned two Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week nods this season.

Brandt is the 2025 Big 12 Setter of the Year, just the second Cyclone in program history to earn the honor and first since the award's inaugural year in 2012. The setter also was placed on All-Big 12 First Team. Brandt has done it all this season, totaling 1,047 assists, 211 digs, 69 kills, 24 blocks and 20 aces. At Cincinnati, the Sumner, Iowa native came one kill shy of a triple-double having 56 assists, 11 digs and a career-high nine kills at .692.

The duo has been imperative to ISU's success, shown in the Cyclones leading the conference in assists, kills and digs. Iowa State is hitting at .246 on the season, which currently ranks as the fourth highest in program history.

Jackson makes for three placed on All-Big 12 First and Second Teams, as she earned her first conference honor being placed on second team. Jackson, who switched to right side this season, has been a difference maker hitting 208 kills at .305 while putting up a team-leading 65 blocks. Jackson had a career match at No. 24 Colorado, hitting an errorless 12 kills on 16 swings for a hitting percentage of .750, the T-No. 3-highest hitting percentage in Iowa State history.

Goolsby and Hanfelt were placed on the All-Rookie Team, while Goolsby was a unanimous selection. Goolsby is the team leader in kills with 293 and has went out to two 20-plus kill performances and five double-doubles. The true freshman earned a Big 12 Rookie of the Week honor in the midst of an eight-match streak of double figure kills and averages 3.26 kills per set this season.

Hanfelt stepped up when the Cyclones needed her and made her presence known from her first start in the beginning of Big 12 play. In 11 matches played, the freshman has totaled 73 kills, 37 blocks, 33 digs and 12 aces. She led the team in blocks in five of those matches and kills in two. Hanfelt ended Big 12 play ranked fourth with a hitting percentage of .350.

Iowa State enters postseason at 22-7 and 12-6 in Big 12 play to end conference tied for third place after being selected ninth in the preseason poll. ISU faces St. Thomas at Maturi Pavilion in Minneapolis this Friday in the NCAA Championship First Round.

2025 Big 12 Awards

Player of the Year- Noemie Glover, Arizona State

Libero of the Year- Rachel Van Gorp, Iowa State*

Setter of the Year- Morgan Brandt, Iowa State

Freshman of the Year- Suli Davis, BYU

Coach of the Year- JJ Van Niel, Arizona State

Scholar-Athlete of the Year- Avah Armour, UCF

All-Big 12 First Team

Jordan Wilson, Arizona*

Noemie Glover, Arizona State*

Bailey Miller, Arizona State

Colby Neal, Arizona State

Ksenia Rakhmanchik, Baylor

Alex Bower, BYU

Suli Davis, BYU*

Brielle Kemavor, BYU

Ana Burilović, Colorado*

Avah Armour, UCF

Sydney Nolan, Cincinnati

Morgan Brandt, Iowa State

Rachel Van Gorp, Iowa State*

Reese Ptacek, Kansas

Jovana Zelenovic, Kansas

Shaylee Myers, Kansas State*

Evan Hendrix, TCU*

Kamryn Gibadlo, Utah

All-Big 12 Second Team

Carlie Cisneros, Arizona

Avery Scoggins, Arizona

Faith Frame, Arizona State

Gabrielle Essix, Baylor

Morgan Madison, Baylor

Claire Little Chambers, Brigham Young

Carly Glendinning, Cincinnati

Cayla Payne, Colorado

Tierney Jackson, Iowa State

Katie Dalton, Kansas

Grace Nelson, Kansas

Rhian Swanson, Kansas

Ryan White, Kansas

Aniya Clinton, Kansas State

Ava Legrand, Kansas State

Becca Kelley, TCU

Emrie Moea'I, Utah

Trinity Sheridan, West Virginia

All-Rookie Team

Kiylah Presley, Arizona State

Morgan Madison, Baylor

Ksenia Rakhmanchik, Baylor

Bailey Warren, Baylor

Suli Davis, BYU*

Alexa Haley, UCF

Alea Goolsby, Iowa State*

Reagan Hanfelt, Iowa State

Aurora Papac, Kansas

Jovana Zelenovic, Kansas*

*Unanimous selection

ISU Earns Big 12 Libero and Setter of the Year, Five Cyclones Named to All-Big 12 Teams

Players Mentioned

Morgan Brandt

Alea Goolsby

Reagan Hanfelt

Tierney Jackson

Rachel Van Gorp

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics

ISU Earns Big 12 Libero and Setter of the Year, Five Cyclones Named to All-Big 12 Teams

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Players Mentioned

Morgan Brandt

Alea Goolsby

Reagan Hanfelt

Tierney Jackson

Rachel Van Gorp

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