Martin & Wait Named to AVCA National Player of the Year Watch List
9/19/2024 11:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Bluejay duo has helped Creighton to a 7-2 start
OMAHA, Neb. -- Creighton Volleyball teammates Ava Martin and Kendra Wait are two of 36 women on the American Volleyball Coaches Association's Watch List for its 2024 Division I Player of the Year Award, presented by Nike Volleyball. Martin and Wait are the only two BIG EAST players to make the cut so far.
The inaugural list includes 36 players from 21 schools, and the names will be revealed in groups of 12 over a three-day span, which began yesterday, continued today and concludes tomorrow. There is no order to which list players are on, except that all of a school's candidates will appear the same day. The list will be narrowed down in November, and then the names of the finalists will be released before the AVCA Convention. Student-athletes can play their way on or off the list during any update. The 2024 AVCA Player of the Year will be announced on Friday, Dec. 20, in Louisville, KY, during the AVCA Convention.
Martin is a junior outside hitter from Overland Park, Kan., who was an Honorable Mention All-America pick a year ago when she led the Bluejays with 417 kills. A two-time All-BIG EAST selection, Martin is averaging 3.19 kills and 2.09 digs per set this season for a Bluejay team that is 7-2 and ranked ninth nationally.
Wait is a senior setter who hails from Gardner, Kan., and earned Third Team All-America status last fall. She's a three-time All-BIG EAST pick who in 2023 swept BIG EAST Player of the Year and BIG EAST Setter of the Year accolades. This year Wait is averaging 10.28 assists, 2.97 digs, 0.91 kills and 0.72 blocks per set. Her .354 hitting percentage this season has upped her career hitting percentage to a school-record mark of .353. Wait has been named to 13 All-Tournament Teams in her career, including recognition this year following the Bluejay Invitational and the Creighton Classic.
No. 9 Creighton (7-2) will conclude non-conference play with the Jayhawk Classic this weekend in Lawrence, Kan. The Bluejays meet No. 6 Purdue (8-0) on Friday at 4 p.m. before taking on No. 10 Kansas (7-0) on Saturday at 3 p.m. Both matches will air on ESPN+.
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The inaugural list includes 36 players from 21 schools, and the names will be revealed in groups of 12 over a three-day span, which began yesterday, continued today and concludes tomorrow. There is no order to which list players are on, except that all of a school's candidates will appear the same day. The list will be narrowed down in November, and then the names of the finalists will be released before the AVCA Convention. Student-athletes can play their way on or off the list during any update. The 2024 AVCA Player of the Year will be announced on Friday, Dec. 20, in Louisville, KY, during the AVCA Convention.
Martin is a junior outside hitter from Overland Park, Kan., who was an Honorable Mention All-America pick a year ago when she led the Bluejays with 417 kills. A two-time All-BIG EAST selection, Martin is averaging 3.19 kills and 2.09 digs per set this season for a Bluejay team that is 7-2 and ranked ninth nationally.
Wait is a senior setter who hails from Gardner, Kan., and earned Third Team All-America status last fall. She's a three-time All-BIG EAST pick who in 2023 swept BIG EAST Player of the Year and BIG EAST Setter of the Year accolades. This year Wait is averaging 10.28 assists, 2.97 digs, 0.91 kills and 0.72 blocks per set. Her .354 hitting percentage this season has upped her career hitting percentage to a school-record mark of .353. Wait has been named to 13 All-Tournament Teams in her career, including recognition this year following the Bluejay Invitational and the Creighton Classic.
No. 9 Creighton (7-2) will conclude non-conference play with the Jayhawk Classic this weekend in Lawrence, Kan. The Bluejays meet No. 6 Purdue (8-0) on Friday at 4 p.m. before taking on No. 10 Kansas (7-0) on Saturday at 3 p.m. Both matches will air on ESPN+.
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| First Name | Last Name | School | Pos. | Class | Conference | 2023 AVCA All-American Award |
| Ava | Martin | Creighton | OH | So. | Big East | 2023 Honorable Mention |
| Kendra | Wait | Creighton | S | Sr. | Big East | 2023 3rd Team All-American |
| Isabel | Martin | Florida | OH | Gr. | SEC | 2023 Honorable Mention |
| Kennedy | Martin | Florida | RS | So. | SEC | 2023 2nd Team All-American |
| Audrey | Koenig | Florida State | OH | Sr. | ACC | 2023 Honorable Mention |
| Taylor | Head | Florida State | OH | Gr. | ACC | 2023 3rd Team All-American |
| Sophie | Fischer | Georgia | MB | Sr. - 5th | SEC | 2023 2nd Team All-American |
| Bianca | Bertolino | Georgia Tech | OH | R-Sr. | ACC | 2023 Honorable Mention |
| Camryn | Haworth | Indiana | S | Sr. | Big 10 | 2023 Honorable Mention |
| Camryn | Turner | Kansas | S | Sr. | Big 12 | 2023 Honorable Mention |
| Aliyah | Carter | Kansas State | OH | Gr. | Big 12 | 2023 Honorable Mention |
| Brooklyn | DeLeye | Kentucky | OH | So. | SEC | 2023 Honorable Mention |
| Emma | Grome | Kentucky | S | Sr. | SEC | 2023 2nd Team All-American |
| Anna | DeBeer | Louisville | OH | Gr. | ACC | 2023 2nd Team All-American |
| Elena | Scott | Louisville | L | Sr. | ACC | 2023 2nd Team All-American |
| Melani | Shaffmaster | Minnesota | S | R-Sr. | Big 10 | |
| Bergen | Reilly | Nebraska | S | So. | Big 10 | 2023 2nd Team All-American |
| Harper | Murray | Nebraska | OH | So. | Big 10 | 2023 3rd Team All-American |
| Lexi | Rodriguez | Nebraska | DS/L | Sr. | Big 10 | 2023 1st Team All-American |
| Merritt | Beason | Nebraska | RS | Sr. | Big 10 | 2023 1st Team All-American |
| Mimi | Colyer | Oregon | OH | Jr. | Big 10 | 2023 Honorable Mention |
| Jess | Mruzik | Penn State | OH | Gr. | Big 10 | 2023 2nd Team All-American |
| Olivia | Babcock | Pittsburgh | RS | So. | ACC | 2023 1st Team All-American |
| Rachel | Fairbanks | Pittsburgh | S | Sr. | ACC | 2023 1st Team All-American |
| Torrey | Stafford | Pittsburgh | OH | So. | ACC | 2023 3rd Team All-American |
| Chloe | Chicoine | Purdue | OH | So. | Big 10 | 2023 3rd Team All-American |
| Eva | Hudson | Purdue | OH | Jr. | Big 10 | 2023 2nd Team All-American |
| Elia | Rubin | Stanford | OH | Jr. | ACC | 2023 2nd Team All-American |
| Kami | Miner | Stanford | S | Sr. | ACC | 2023 1st Team All-American |
| Melanie | Parra | TCU | OH | Sr. | Big 12 | 2023 3rd Team All-American |
| Caroline | Kerr | Tennessee | S | R-So. | SEC | 2023 2nd Team All-American |
| Madisen | Skinner | Texas | OH | Sr. | SEC | 2023 1st Team All-American |
| Reagan | Rutherford | Texas | RS | Sr. | SEC | 2023 3rd Team All-American |
| Anna | Smrek | Wisconsin | RS | Sr. | Big 10 | 2023 2nd Team All-American |
| Carter | Booth | Wisconsin | MB | Jr. | Big 10 | 2023 3rd Team All-American |
| Sarah | Franklin | Wisconsin | OH | Sr. - 5th | Big 10 | 2023 1st Team All-American |
Players Mentioned
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