By DJ Ramirez | Sports Editor
Volleyball:
After a striking down 61 kills across two matches in Austin last week, senior outside hitter Yossiana Pressley was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week for the second week in a row and third time this season. With this her 18th-career weekly conference award, Pressley now owns the record for most Big 12 weekly awards.
The Cypress native was responsible for 65 total points in the series against the Longhorns last week, adding four solo blocks and 14 digs while averaging 6.10 kills per set. With 1,701 career kills under her belt, Pressley became Baylor’s career kills leader in the rally scoring era on Friday, and is second all-time behind Elisha Polk (2,272).
Baylor has earned the most weekly awards in the Big 12 this season, with seven, and Pressley is tied with UT’s Logan Eggleston for the lead with three.
Women’s basketball:
The Lady Bears enter the 2020-21 season ranked at No. 4 in the AP Preseason Top 25, marking the 17th-straight year that Baylor has been ranked in the preseason. Baylor entered last year at No. 2 and is still technically the national defending champion, as the 2020 NCAA Tournament was canceled due to COVID-19.
South Carolina was ranked No.1 with Stanford checking in at No. 2 and UConn at No. 3. Three of Baylor’s opponents this season received a preseason ranking. The Lady Bears will face No. 14 Arkansas in Fayetteville on Dec. 6 and then welcome No. 3 UConn to Waco on Jan. 7 before taking on conference foe No. 15 Iowa State on Jan. 16 and Jan. 31.
Soccer:
Freshman forward Olivia Mack was named Big 12 Freshman of the Week after scoring the game-winning goal in Baylor’s conference finale against Oklahoma last Friday. This marks Mack’s first weekly accolade and Baylor’s 47th, as the freshman became the fourth BU player to receive a conference honor this season. Kayley Ables was named Defensive Player of the Week in back-to-back weeks to start the season, Jennifer Wandt was named Goalkeeper of the Week on Oct. 6 and Mackenzie Anthony also received Freshman of the Week on Oct. 13.
