Kimmy Gardiner (Oklahoma), Branen Berta (Iowa State) and Payton Caffrey (West Virginia) have been honored as Big 12 volleyball weekly award winners following the season’s opening weekend of action.

Gardiner claims the league’s Offensive Player of the Week, while Berta collects the Defensive Player of the Week, and Caffrey picks up the Freshman of the Week. It is the first conference weekly award for each winner.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Kimmy Gardiner, Oklahoma, Outside Hitter, Sr., Grapevine, Texas

• Named Most Outstanding Player of the Oklahoma Invitational.
• Led the Sooner with 3.22 kills per set in a perfect 3-0 weekend.
• Hit .441 and added 2.89 digs and 0.67 blocks per set, while hitting .450 in the season opener with 10 kills and nine digs against Oral Roberts.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Branen Berta, Iowa State, Libero, Jr., Aurora, Colorado 

• Earned All-Tournament Team honors in her debut as Iowa State’s libero.
• Led the Cyclones with 17 digs in their season-opening sweep of Wichita State, the most digs in a three-set match by a Big 12 student-athlete over the weekend.
• Finished with 43 digs over two matches for a Big 12-best 6.14 digs per set.

FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Payton Caffrey, West Virginia, Outside Hitter, Freshman, Chuluota, Florida

• Led the Mountaineers with 5.11 kills per set. 
• Had a team-best 18 kills and hit .405 in the team’s season opener against No. 9 Penn State.
• Notched her first career double-double with 17 kills and 11 digs in the team’s contest with No. 19 North Carolina.