Kansas volleyball trio named to AVCA All-America Teams

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas volleyball’s Kelsie Payne, Madison Rigdon and Ainise Havili will close the book on their record-breaking careers as All-Americans. The senior trio is listed on the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America Teams released on Wednesday, ahead of the national semifinals in Kansas City this weekend.

Payne’s third-career All-America honor comes on the third team, while Havili and Rigdon are honorable mention selections by the committee of AVCA coaches. It is the fourth All-America honor for Havili and second for Rigdon. All three were also All-Big 12 and AVCA All-Midwest Region honorees.

Kelsie Payne earns #AVCA All-America Third Team honors!#KUvball #RockChalk pic.twitter.com/1dJImFi2tA

— Kansas Volleyball (@KUVolleyball) December 13, 2017

Payne nets her third AVCA All-American honor after also being named All-Big 12 First Team for the third-straight season. The Austin, Texas, native ends her collegiate career as KU’s all-time leader in career kills (1,510), career kills per set (3.63) and career hitting percentage (.334). Payne ranked third in Big 12 in kills per set (3.66) and fourth in points per set (4.09) during the 2017 campaign. Payne, an AVCA All-America First Team selection in 2015 and 2016, features five 20-kill matches this season.

Ainise Havili: Four years. Four #AVCA All-America honors! #KUvball #RockChalk pic.twitter.com/zNgqwmoc5I

— Kansas Volleyball (@KUVolleyball) December 13, 2017

Havili, the 2017 AVCA Midwest Region Player of the Year, is a record-setting three-time Big 12 Setter of the Year after leading the Big 12 in assists per set (11.37) during the 2017 campaign. The Fort Worth, Texas, native owns KU’s all-time record in career assists (5,255) and led Kansas to the top-two most-efficient offensive seasons in program history with a .258 team hitting percentage in 2017 and a .299 hitting percentage in 2015. Havili had 12 50-assist matches this season, including the most assists recorded by a Big 12 player this season with 63 at NC State. The four-time All-American’s previous three AVCA All-America nods included honorable mention in 2014, first-team in 2015 and third-team in 2016.

Congrats to two-time All-American Madison Rigdon! #KUvball pic.twitter.com/ApboWGviHf

— Kansas Volleyball (@KUVolleyball) December 13, 2017

Rigdon earns AVCA All-America honorable mention honors for the second-straight season as KU’s leader in aces per set (0.27) and points per set (4.18) this season, which ranked second and fourth in the Big 12, respectively. The Pflugerville, Texas, native earned Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors twice this season and has led Kansas in kill-dig double-doubles for three-straight seasons, including 12 in 2017.

Kansas (22-8) concluded the 2017 season after making its sixth-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

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