The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
07.11.2023 | Volleyball
Madisen Skinner is the 16th Longhorn to be named Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year.
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Volleyball's Madisen Skinner has been selected as the Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year and Ella Swindle was selected the Co-Preseason Freshmen of the Year, the league office announced Tuesday.
Texas led the Preseason All-Big 12 team with four of the 16 selections, including Skinner, Asjia O'Neal, Molly Phillips and Jenna Wenaas.
Skinner makes it the fifth time in the last six seasons a Longhorn has captured the award and marks the 16th overall time a Texas player has secured the honor. The unanimous 2022 All-Big 12 First Team outside hitter ranked fourth in the league in kills per set (3.66), fifth in points per set (4.05) and eighth in hitting percentage (.307). The Katy, Texas native helped UT capture its sixth straight Big 12 volleyball title and the program's fourth overall national championship with a 28-1 overall mark in 2022. Skinner was a Division I AVCA Third-Team All-American last year and was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 4.
Swindle was named a 2022 AVCA First Team High School All-American and earned an Under Armour All-American nod. The freshman setter was the 2021-22 Gatorade Missouri Volleyball Player of the Year and is the Rock Bridge High School record holder in assists, blocks and aces. The Columbia, Missouri native also competed for USA Volleyball's U-21 National Training Team in 2022. Swindle is Texas' first Preseason Freshman of the Year since 2019 and 13th overall.
O'Neal received First Team All-America honors in 2022 after finishing second in the nation with a .443 hitting percentage. She led Texas with 117 total blocks and was third on the team with 208 kills.
Phillips was an Honorable Mention All-American selection and First Team All-Big 12 pick. She was one of the most efficient pins in the country and finished with a .381 hitting percentage and 200 kills and 63 blocks.
Wenaas, a transfer from Minnesota, was an AVCA All-North Region Honorable Mention selection in 2022. She played in all 110 sets and 31 matches for the Golden Gophers, ranking third on the team in kills (2.40) and digs (2.37) per set.
2023 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year: Madisen Skinner, Texas
Co-Preseason Freshmen of the Year: Ella Swindle, Texas & Kyndal Stowers, Baylor
2023 All-Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Team
Asjia O'Neal, Texas*#
Molly Phillips, Texas#
Madisen Skinner, Texas*#
Jenna Wenaas, Texas
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* #
*Unanimous selection
# - 2022 All-Big 12 First Team
^ - 2022 All-Big 12 Second Team
! – 2022 All-Big 12 Rookie Team
A tie created extra positions on the team.
