Four members of the 2024 Kansas volleyball team met with the media on a de facto media day for the program Tuesday, and each one of them had the same reaction to the Jayhawks being picked to finish first in the conference in a recent preseason poll.
“I think it’s really cool to be recognized,” reigning Big 12 Setter of the Year Camryn Turner said on Tuesday. “But, honestly, it’s like let’s go out and prove it. But it is really cool to be seen.”
Even Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year Zoey Burgess, a middle blocker from Alpine, Utah, got in on the act of wanting the Jayhawks to back up the early honor.
“It doesn’t really put a lot of pressure on (us),” Burgess said. “I just want to prove to everybody that they were right.”
In 2023, the Jayhawks finished second in the Big 12 Conference race behind perennial powerhouse Texas. But with the Longhorns now playing in the SEC, there’s room in the Big 12 for a new top dog.
“Let’s be real honest,” KU coach Ray Bechard began. “Texas isn’t in our league, OK?”
In all, five of the conference’s 15 volleyball programs (Oklahoma State does not have volleyball) received first-place votes from the league coaches this month, with Kansas picking up six to edge out second-place BYU (4) and third-place Arizona State (3).
"I just want to prove to everybody that they were right.” – Freshman middle blocker Zoey Burgess
Bechard, who could not vote for Kansas, said Tuesday that he realized just how strong the conference will be when he was filling out his ballot.
“I was putting people in at seven, eight and nine (and) I thought, ‘Holy crap, these guys could win the league,’” the KU coach said Tuesday. “So, it’s going to be wide open. We feel like we have the pieces, if everything comes together, to be competitive in that situation. A lot of other teams probably feel the same way.”
While that may be true, it’s the Jayhawks who carry the title of preseason favorite into the upcoming season. And the way senior Caroline Bien sees it, that’s a good thing.
“We (already) have a huge target on our backs just from the success that we’ve had so far,” Bien said. “So, it’s definitely going to be a challenge this season, with a lot of people wanting to beat us. But that’s just making us work harder.”
Added fellow senior Toyosi Onabanjo: “I think it’s a great feeling, but we obviously can’t take all our wins last year and bring them to this year. It’s a whole new year and it should be exciting.”
Tickets are already sold out for the Jayhawks’ home matches, so it’s clear that the excitement of the upcoming season reaches well beyond the KU locker room.
The Jayhawks have big goals yet again — Big 12 title, hosting in the NCAA Tournament and more — and they’ll get things started on Aug. 24 with a home exhibition match against Drake, following by a visit to Durham, North Carolina to open the regular season at the Duke Tournament, Aug. 30 through Sept. 1.
KU’s home opener is set for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 4 against Wichita State at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.
— For tickets to all KU athletic events, visit kuathletics.com
