Higgins Earns Big 12 Honor

Nov. 3, 2008

NORMAN, Okla. - University of Oklahoma volleyball student-athlete Caitlin Higgins has been named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week the league office announced this afternoon. It is the first honor for Higgins and the second weekly honor for the Sooners this season. Higgins becomes the first freshman from Oklahoma to earn a weekly conference honor. She is also the first Big 12 freshman to earn the offensive award this season.

“It is a great honor to be recognized,” said Oklahoma head coach Santiago Restrepo. “It is especially great to be named Offensive Player of the Week as a freshman. Caitlin is a hard worker and the award is reflecting of that hard work and her dedication.”

Higgins, an outside hitter, led OU to a 2-0 record last week, including an upset at then third-ranked Texas and a victory at home against Baylor. She posted a team-high 18 kills and 12 digs, while compiling a .311 hitting percentage in Austin on Wednesday. The Amarillo, Texas rookie also had three service aces and scored 21.5 points overall in the match. Higgins then recorded 20 digs and 13 kills along with a block solo and two block assists on Sunday versus the Bears. On the week, she paced the Sooners in kills (31) and was second in digs (32) in addition to tallying 38.5 points, five service aces and four blocks.

Sophomore transfer Sarah Freudenrich was named Rookie of the Week on Oct. 20. The Sooners travel to nationally-ranked Kansas State Wednesday evening for a 7 p.m. CT contest and face Missouri on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT in Columbia.

OKLAHOMA VOLLEYBALL BIG 12 WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS

Date	Honor	Player
October 7, 1997	Player	Patrice Arrington
October 20, 1997	Player	Melissa Peterson
October 30, 2006	Player	Eliane Santos
September 10, 2007	Defensive	Mariana Blum
October 20, 2008	Rookie	Sarah Freudenrich
November 3, 2008	Offensive	Caitlin Higgins

Players Mentioned

Sarah Freudenrich

Caitlin Higgins

Sponsors

University of Oklahoma Athletics