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Iowa State’s Herrera, Holthaus named to All-Big 12 Preseason Team

Sports

June 30th, 2020 by admin

Candelaria Herrera

Eleanor Holthaus

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State senior middle blocker Candelaria Herrera and junior right side Eleanor Holthaus have been named to the 2020 All-Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Team, the conference announced Monday afternoon.

Both Herrera and Holthaus are first-time Preseason honorees. Despite not being on the Preseason Team in 2019, the duo were both able to elevate themselves onto the All-Big 12 First Team at the end of the season. Holthaus was a unanimous selection for the 2020 Preseason Team, one of eight in the league.

Herrera, from San Juan, Argentina and a 2019 AVCA All-Midwest Region and All-Big 12 First Team honoree, had a terrific two-way season for the Cyclones in 2019. In attack, she averaged 2.22 kills per set at a team-high .314 hitting percentage, an efficiency that ranks fourth in the Big 12. On defense, Herrera is second on ISU with 0.94 blocks per set, a number which rose to 1.18 per set against league opponents. She had 101 total blocks on the year, her second-straight season over 100 blocks. Following the season, Herrera returned to South America and helped her native Argentina qualify for the now-delayed 2020 Olympic Games.

Holthaus, from Richmond, Minnesota and also an AVCA All-Midwest Region and All-Big 12 First Team honoree, was the Cyclones’ leading attacker throughout the 2019 season. The right-side led ISU with 3.18 kills per set, sixth in the Big 12, which she got at .254 hitting. Her 16 matches with at least 10 kills led ISU, while she also had four double-doubles on the year, posting 2.34 digs per frame. Holthaus earned Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week after recording 19 kills against Oklahoma on Nov. 15.

The 2020 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Poll will be announced tomorrow.

2020 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Awards

Preseason Player of the Year: Yossiana Pressley, Baylor, OH, Sr.
Preseason Freshman of the Year: Caroline Crawford, Kansas, MB

2020 All-Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Team

Name, School                                  Pos.       Ht.          Cl.          Hometown

Yossiana Pressley, Baylor#            OH         6-0         Sr.          Cypress, Texas
Hannah Sedwick, Baylor#             S             6-1         Sr.          Des Moines, Iowa
Marieke van der Mark, Baylor      OPP        6-6         Jr.           Papendrecht, The Netherlands
Candelaria Herrera, Iowa State     MB         6-1         Sr.          San Juan, Argentina
Eleanor Holthaus, Iowa State#     RS           6-1         Jr.           Richmond, Minnesota
Keyton Kinley, Oklahoma#           DS          5-5         Jr.           Lexington, Kentucky
Sarah Sanders, Oklahoma            OH         6-4         Jr.           Plano, Texas
Katie Clark, TCU#                          MB         6-3         Jr.           Arlington, Texas
Brionne Butler, Texas#                  MB         6-4         Jr.           Kendleton, Texas
Logan Eggleston, Texas#             OH         6-2         Jr.           Brentwood, Tennessee
Skylar Fields, Texas#                    OPP        6-2         So.         Missouri City, Texas
Brooke Kanas, Texas Tech            OH/RS   6-2         Jr.           New Braunfels, Texas
Brianna Lynch, West Virginia       MB         6-2         Sr.          Johns Creek, Georgia
# – unanimous selection