It’s not often that freshman volleyball players make national headlines in their first year, but Kansas’ Caroline Bien has once again proven she is the exception to that rule.
Bien, who plays outside hitter and libero, just capped off a remarkable freshman year by being named an honorable mention All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). She is the 10th Jayhawk in school history to receive AVCA honors, and the first since 2017 when right side hitter Kelsie Payne made Third Team All-American.
Current status: 𝑨𝒍𝒍-𝑨𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒏@CarolineBien_ and the Jayhawks earn a spot on the Fall 2021 @AVCAVolleyball All-America Team!#RockChalk | #KUVB pic.twitter.com/BpXI9j8uK0
— Kansas Volleyball (@KUVolleyball) December 15, 2021
Earlier this week, Bien was also named to the All-Regional Team following her performance in the NCAA Tournament last week. Bien tied her career high for kills (21) in KU’s match against Creighton in the second round and finished the tournament with 41 kills overall.
After her impressive inaugural season in Big 12 play, Bien was named to the All-Big 12 First Team, All-Big 12 Rookie Team, and won Big 12 Freshman of the Year.
In just her first season, Bien led the team in kills with 336 – demonstrating the potential she has as her career goes on.
There’s not much more Bien could have accomplished in her first year at KU. It was as impressive of a freshman season that a Jayhawk has had in recent memory – if not ever.
But she’s not the only young player on this squad who has shown potential.
Sophomore middle blocker Caroline Crawford earned her share of recognition this year as she was named to the All-Midwest Region team for the second consecutive year. She was also named Second Team All-Big 12 after last year being named First Team All-Big 12.
Crawford finished second on the team in blocks with 127, behind senior middle blocker Rachel Langs who led the team with 131.
Next year’s team will miss super-senior Jenny Mosser, but Langs (who will be a super-senior next season) should be back – providing much needed defense for this Kansas team.
The young trio of Bien, Crawford, and freshman setter Camryn Turner – all of whom played a significant role in leading this program to its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2015 – provides a talented core for this KU volleyball team heading into next season.
If they can improve their games even more during the offseason, along with the several other returning players, there’s no reason the Jayhawks can’t make it back to the Sweet 16 next year – or beyond.