Tiger libero Caitlyn Vann (Muncie, Ind.) has been named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week as announced by the Big 12 office on Monday (Oct. 18). The honor for Vann is the fifth in her career and the second this season. She is the only player in the Big 12 to have been named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week twice this season.

Vann paced the Big 12 with 6.33 digs per set last week and reset her season-highs in each of the matches. She began her week by pulling in 26 digs in the Tigers' five-set win at Texas A&M, helping the Tigers to their first win in College Station since 2005. Her 26 digs in the match at the time were a career-best.

She followed that performance with her best match of the season as she pulled in 31 digs, spread six assists and was perfect on 18 service receptions as she guided Mizzou to a four-set win over Baylor. The 31 digs are the third-best four-set total in Mizzou history and just three off of her career-best 34, which was set in 2008 against St. John's. Her 31 digs were also a season-best while her six assists were a career-best. She added two service aces in the match moving her into third in the Big 12 in aces per set.



Not only did her 31 digs help the Tigers defeat Baylor in four sets, but the Tigers out-dug the Bears, 81-66. The Bears came into the match averaging a nation-best 18.92 digs per set and she was a key reason for the Tigers' success in the back row. Mizzou pulled in 81 digs as a team in both matches on the week as well, which is a season-best for the Tigers.