KU volleyball picked No. 1 in Big 12 Conference's preseason coaches poll, plus more news
LAWRENCE — Kansas volleyball is the favorite in the Big 12 Conference’s preseason coaches poll.
The Big 12, which released the news Wednesday, placed the Jayhawks ahead of second-place BYU, third-place Arizona State and fourth-place TCU. KU coach Ray Bechard’s squad received both the most points and the most first-place votes in the poll for the new-look, 15-team league. This represents the first time Kansas will enter the season as the favorite.
“This reflects what this group has done over the past couple seasons and we have a lot of veteran players returning,” Bechard said in a KU release. “Like all preseason polls, we can value this a lot more when the season is over.”
Kansas, which is coming off of three-straight NCAA tournament appearances, is also well-represented on the Big 12’s preseason team by senior opposite London Davis, senior outside hitter Ayah Elnady and senior setter Camryn Turner. Freshman middle blocker Zoey Burgess is also the preseason freshman of the year for the Big 12. The Jayhawks have an exhibition on Aug. 24 at home against Drake, before the regular season begins later in the month.
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Here’s more news recently from around KU Athletics:
Kansas football’s Jalon Daniels placed on preseason watch list for comeback player of the year award
Although Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels saw his 2023 season cut short due to injury, he will enter the 2024 campaign on the preseason watch list for the comeback player of the year award. Daniels, now a redshirt junior, has the potential to lead the Jayhawks to a Big 12 championship this year. The award is given each year to a college football player who has overcome an injury or illness, or another circumstance.
Kansas football’s Lawrence Arnold lands on Biletnikoff Award preseason watch list
Kansas senior wide receiver Lawrence Arnold earned a spot on the preseason watch list for the Biletnikoff Award, which is given each year to the top receiver in college football. Arnold led the Jayhawks in receptions (44) and receiving yards (782) last year, while also tying for the team lead in touchdown receptions (6). When KU won the Guaranteed Rate Bowl in 2023 against UNLV, he finished with six receptions for 132 yards and three touchdowns.
Kansas football’s running back duo earns spot on Doak Walker Award preseason watch list
Kansas is entering the 2024 season with one of the best running back duos in the Big 12, and those players have been recognized for their talent. Senior Devin Neal and redshirt junior Daniel Hishaw Jr. are on the preseason watch list for the Doak Walker Award. It’s an honor presented annually to the best running back in the country, and according to a KU release, “It is the only major collegiate award that requires all candidates to be in good academic standing and on schedule to graduate within one year of other students of the same classification.”
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas volleyball picked No. 1 in Big 12's preseason coaches poll
