Perkins Named Big 12 Rookie of the Week

NORMAN – Freshman Morgan Perkins was named the Big 12 Rookie of the Week for the second time this season, the conference announced Tuesday.

She is the third Sooner in 2022 to earn multiple weekly accolades and joins Taylor Preston as the only Sooner freshmen to earn conference weekly honors this season.

The Rosharon, Texas, native led the offense with a career-high 15 kills against Kansas State last Wednesday in a 3-1 victory. Defensively, Perkins led the team with four blocks (all block assists), which moved her to 98 block assists on the season for the ninth-best program record in a single season.

Perkins was the best freshman in the conference last week in kills per set (3.75) and hitting percentage (.667), which tied for second overall in both categories. She also tied for fifth in points per set (4.25). For the 2022 season, Perkins is the best freshman in the Big 12 with a .421 hitting percentage and 1.17 blocks per set.

OU is coming off its best conference record (5-9) since 2019 after defeating Kansas State, 3-1, last Wednesday in Manhattan. Last week, the Sooners finished second with a .301 hitting percentage behind Big 12 champions, Texas. They also sat in third in assists per set (12.75), kills per set (13.75) and service aces per set (1.75). Overall, OU is third this season with 1.44 service aces per set.

Texas' Saige Ka'aha'aina-Torres was named the Offensive Player of the Week and Baylor's Kara McGhee earned the Defensive Player of the Week.

Perkins and the Sooners kick conclude the regular season this week against Iowa State in Ames at 6:30 p.m. CT Wednesday, before hosting TCU at 6 p.m. Saturday, for their regular season finale and Senior Night.