RCW: Faces in the Crowd 3.14
Each week in Rock Chalk Weekly, the top Kansas Jayhawk performances are recognized as Faces in the Crowd. Get to know last week’s stars, including information on their latest accomplishments and a link to their full bio.
GRACE HAGAN
Soccer | Sophomore | Wichita, Kansas
Bio Full Bio
Hagan was selected to the NSCAA All-Central Region First Team, the third-straight season a Jayhawk has earned the honor. She finished off her 2016 campaign with a career-high seven goals, which ranked fifth in the Big 12. The forward also tallied a career-high four assists to add to her yearly point total of 18, which was also was fifth in the conference. Hagan was the Jayhawks’ top-goal scorer and led the team to an 11-6-5 overall record, KU’s highest Big 12 finish since 2004 (second) and the program’s fourth appearance in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
JOSH JACKSON
Basketball | Freshman | Detroit, Michigan
Bio Full Bio
Named the Most Valuable Player of the CBE Hall of Fame Classic, Jackson averaged 17.0 points and 7.3 rebounds as Kansas posted a 3-0 record last week with wins against UAB (11/21), Georgia (11/22) and UNC Asheville (11/25). The Detroit native made 51.4 percent of his field goals while adding four blocked shots. In the two games at the CBE Hall of Fame Classic championship in Kansas City, Missouri, Jackson averaged 18.5 points and 9.0 rebounds, including his first double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds in Kansas’ 65-54 win against Georgia.
KELSIE PAYNE
Volleyball | Junior | Austin, Texas
Bio Full Bio
Payne became KU’s first-ever Big 12 Player of the Year after helping lead the Jayhawks to the outright Big 12 regular-season title and ranking top-three in kills per set (4.07) and points per set (4.77) during conference action. After a breakout 2015 All-American campaign, Payne’s dynamic offensive talent wasn’t going to catch the conference off guard as she entered 2016 with Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year expectations. Payne lived up to those expectations, and more, while she adjusted to becoming a six-rotation player for the first time in her career – finishing the season with eight double-doubles, five 20-kill performances and 18 matches with at least three blocks.
JESSICA WASHINGTON
Basketball | R-Junior | Tulsa, Oklahoma
Bio Full Bio
Washington led Kansas to its second overtime victory of the week after netting 19 points in a 76-71 victory over North Dakota. Her scoring total marked a season best and was one point shy of her career high. Along with her third double-digit scoring performance of the year, Washington dished out a season-high four assists and swiped a season-best three steals. She also grabbed six rebounds in the overtime victory, second most by a Jayhawk.
