KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association has announced its first volleyball athletes of the week from the 2025 season. Central Oklahoma swept the league’s week one honors with Kedron Burk named the Offensive Athlete of the Week, Katily Parrott named the Defensive Athlete of the Week and Lindsey Houran named the Setter of the Week.
OFFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Kedron Burk, Central Oklahoma
Kedron Burk led No. 7 Central Oklahoma to a perfect weekend at the Patriot Classic in Tyler, Texas, with the Bronchos sweeping all four contests to start the season. Burk landed 43 kills at a 3.58 kills per set rate and hit .288 along the way. The senior middle blocker and Oral Roberts transfer also deterred the opposition with five solo blocks on the weekend. Burk recorded matches of seven kills, 10, 15, and 11. Her 15 kills against No. 5-ranked Ferris State came in three sets at an average of 5.0 kills per set in the NCAA Division II top 10 showdown won by the Bronchos.
DEFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Kaitlyn Parrott, Central Oklahoma
Kaitlyn Parrot helped the No. 7-ranked Bronchos to a perfect 4-0 weekend at the Patriot Classic in Tyler, Texas, last weekend with Central Oklahoma sweeping all four matches. Parrot dug up 89 attacks from the opposition for 7.42 per set to lead the defensive efforts for the MIAA in week one action. The junior libero collected matches of 16, 14, 30, and 29 digs. Her 30 digs against No. 5-ranked Ferris State came in three sets for a 10.0 digs per set average in the match.
SETTER OF THE WEEK: Lindsey Houran, Central Oklahoma
Lindsey Houran recorded an MIAA-leading 11.92 assists per set as No. 7-ranked Central Oklahoma finished 4-0 at the Patriot Classic in Tyler, Texas, opening weekend. The Bronchos did not drop a set in winning four matches, including the win over host (RV) Tyler and against No. 5-ranked Ferris State. Houran dished out 143 total assists with individual matches of 36, 40, 32, and 35. The match with 40 assists against UT Tyler was her 50th 40-assist match of her career. It also moved the senior into fourth place in UCO history with 3,968 career assists and she moved past 4,000 by the end of the tournament.
OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
Emilee Lane, Nebraska Kearney
Emilee Lane was named to the Windjammer Classic All-Tourney team after averaging 3.60 kills per set while hitting .397 as the Lopers collected four straight wins at the St. Michael’s Windjammer Classic in Colchester, Vermont. The senior outside hitter also supplied eight digs and a block. Lane had a big Saturday, going for 15 kills in both 3-0 wins over Bentley and East Stroudsburg.
Trista Marx, Missouri Western
Trista Marx had a standout weekend at the Gorilla Classic, helping guide the (RV) Griffons to a 4-0 start to the season. Across 16 sets, the senior middle blocker totaled an MIAA-leading 49 kills while hitting an efficient .413 on 104 swings. Averaging 3.06 kills per set and 3.53 points per set, Marx was a consistent offensive force at the net, finishing with 56.5 total points on the weekend.
Crystal Smith, Arkansas-Fort Smith
Crystal Smith totaled 29 blocks (1.81 blocks per set) in Arkansas-Fort Smith’s first four matches of the 2025 season, helping the Lions to a 3-1 start to the year. In the Lions five set loss to Harding, the freshman middle blocker/outside hitter tied for the second most blocks in a single match with 11 total (three solo, eight assisted) while also landing nine kills on .300 hitting. She also recorded 10 blocks (three solo, seven assisted) to pair with 12 kills in the Lions five set win over Texas A&M Kingsville.
Peyton Neff, Nebraska Kearney
Peyton Neff was named to the Windjammer Classic All-Tourney team after leading Nebraska Kearney to four straight sweeps at the St. Michael’s Windjammer Classic in Colchester, Vermont. The fifth-year setter averaged 10.4 assists, 1.7 digs, 0.9 kills and 0.4 blocks per set while hitting .417 and having four aces. As a team, the Lopers hit .313 on the weekend and averaged 14.4 kills per set.
Ella Caffery, Northwest Missouri
Ella Caffery averaged 11.22 assists per set and earned a spot on the FHSU Tiger Invitational All-Tournament team while helping the Bearcats to a 2-1 record over opening weekend. Caffery also tallied 26 digs (2.89 digs/set) in the three matches and led the squad with service aces (0.67 aces/set) in the tourney. The senior handed out 33 assists and tallied nine digs to go along with two blocks and an ace in a 3-0 win over Arkansas Tech, was credited with 32 assists and five digs in a three-set setback to Rockhurst, and finished the weekend's action with a double-double that saw her put up 36 assists and 12 digs in a 3-0 win over Cameron. Caffery also added five service aces and a block against the Aggies. She also added 14 kills on .379 hitting across the nine sets.
ALSO NOMINATED:
OFFENSE
– Maliyah Johnson [Pittsburg State], Fernanda Meranclo [Missouri Southern], Nyia Anderson [Emporia State], Ashlyn Reeves [Fort Hays State], Hannah Tymitz [Newman], Austin Broadie [Washburn], Kasidy Mohwinkle [Northwest Missouri], Emma Siron [Central Missouri]
DEFENSE – Anna Weberg [Missouri Western], Grace Winkelmann [Central Missouri], Karsen VanScoy [Northwest Missouri], Alex Dvorak [Washburn], Ellie Spang [Nebraska Kearney], Tori Hamilton [Missouri Southern], Brooklynn Weaver [Emporia State], Anna Dean [Pittsburg State]
SETTER – Kayla Baer [Central Missouri], Abrey Galt [Fort Hays State], Corinna McMullen [Washburn], Hannah Allick [Missouri Southern], Jesa Wallace [Pittsburg State]
WEEK ONE:
Offensive – Kedron Burk, Central Oklahoma
Defensive – Kaitlyn Parrott, Central Oklahoma
Setter – Lindsey Houran, Central Oklahoma