Baylor volleyball’s Pressley named AVCA National Player of the Year
Shortly before Christmas, Baylor junior Yossiana Pressley was named the National Player of the Year by both the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and ESPNW — the first such honor in Baylor volleyball history, capping off a historic season that saw the Bears reach the NCAA Final Four.
Pressley’s combination of athleticism (the photo above showing her incredible leaping abilities went viral on Twitter) and skills give her an incredible attack. The Northwest Houston native led the Big 12 and finished among the nation’s top 10 in kills (2nd), points (4th) and attacks (9th) per set, and in total kills (10th).
Pressley joins an elite set of Baylor student-athletes who have earned national player of the year honors:
- Jason Jennings (baseball, 1999)
- Benedikt Dorsch (men’s tennis, 2005)
- Zuzana Zemenova (women’s tennis, 2005)
- Robert Griffin III (football, 2011)
- Brittney Griner (women’s basketball, 2012 & 2013)
- Kiara Nowlin (acrobatics & tumbling, 2015 & 2017)
Baylor volleyball’s season came to an end just before Christmas, when Wisconsin defeated the Bears in the national semifinals. In the end, the Bears set school records for wins (29), deepest NCAA run, and best final national ranking (3rd). McGuyre was named AVCA National Coach of the Year, and Pressley joined teammates Hannah Lockin and Shelly Stafford on the AVCA All-America first team.
Sic ’em, Baylor volleyball!