Posted 12/11/16, 2:36 PM

DALLAS (AM News Net)  –  The Big 12 Conference has 18 players on the most recent American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Region awards list. The amount of players from the conference marks the third largest selection in Big 12 history.

Players from all Big 12 schools, excluding Oklahoma State which does not have a volleyball team, made the list, which was compiled from the opinions of coaches in the regions.

"Combined, the conference posted more selections than any other league on its respective lists," a Big 12 release said.

Notably, Kansas players Ainise Havili, Kelsie Payne, Madison Rigdon, and Cassie Wait made the Midwest Region First Team. TCU's Natalie Gower and Ashley Smith, Baylor's Katie Staiger, and Oklahoma's Marion Hazelwood earned spots on the Southwest Region First Team.

Oklahoma junior Marion Hazelwood has made the All-region team and the Southwest team in 2014, 2015, and now 2016, only the fourth player in Oklahoma volleyball history to do that. Hazelwood recorded 2.63 kills and finished the season with an average of .308, the best in her entire career. 

Hazelwood will enter her senior year with 753 kills and 344 blocks.

Other Big 12 teams such as Texas are still playing in post-season matches. The Longhorns will play against Nebraska on Thursday, December 15, in Columbus in the NCAA D1 Volleyball National Championship semifinals. The time of the game is not yet determined.

More college sports news from AM News Net can be seen here.

© 2016 AM News Net. All rights reserved. None of this material may be published, rewritten, broadcasted, or redistributed in anyway without expressed written permission from AM News Net.