Completed Event: Volleyball at #1 Nebraska on September 13, 2025 , Loss , 0, to, 3
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at #1 Nebraska
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Grand Canyon University Athletics
5 Lopes get WAC honors; Parrott makes 1st team
11/20/2024 2:00:00 PM | Volleyball
GCU leads conference in players receiving postseason awards
Five Grand Canyon volleyball players received All-WAC honors, led by Lopes junior outside hitter Tatum Parrott being honored on the All-WAC first team for the third consecutive season.
The Lopes, who earned the No. 2 seed for this week's WAC Tournament, also placed graduate outside hitter Ashley Lifgren and senior middle blocker Trista Strasser on All-WAC second team. GCU's Aubrey Goodere, a middle blocker, and Taylor Kubacak, a setter, were selected to the WAC All-Freshman Team.
In head coach Kendra Potts' first season at GCU, the Lopes boasted the most honorees (five) of any WAC team this postseason and the most for GCU since the Lopes also had five honorees when the 2020 season was held in the spring of 2021.Tatum Parrott, All-WAC first team
Parrott led in kills per set (4.64) during WAC play to repeat first-team status. The Phoenix native became the Lopes Division I-era record holder for kills and surpassed the 1,000-kill mark against Tarleton State to reach 1,173 career kills. Parrott averages 4.14 kills per set on her collegiate career, ranking seventh among active Division 1 players. Parrott ranks 18th in the nation in points per set with 5.13.
This season, Parrott tallied 376 kills, 441 points, 209 digs, 57 total blocks and 33 service aces. She becomes GCU volleyball's only three-time All-WAC honoree besides five-time honoree Klaire Mitchell (2019-23).
Parrott took the WAC Player of the Week award on Nov. 13 after earning 35 kills (5 per set), a .348 hitting percentage, 11 digs, four total blocks and three service aces over seven sets in two matches.
In her final season with the Lopes, Lifgren received her first All-WAC honor after collecting 202 kills with 148 digs and 30 total blocks in 84 sets played so far.
The Peoria, Arizona, native and GCU graduate has been a Lope the entirety of her collegiate career. Lifgren has landed a total of 850 kills in 108 matches played.
Her .261 hitting and 84 sets played are career highs for Lifgren, who is having her third season of more than 200 kills and is nine points away from setting her single-season scoring high. Lifgren's best match of the season came at home against Tarleton State, when she tallied 16 kills on a .351 hitting clip to help the Lopes claim the match sweep.Trista Strasser, All-WAC second team
Strasser ranks 11th nationally in total blocks with 142. The Kyle, Texas, native played the first two seasons of her collegiate career at Missouri before joining the Lopes in 2023. For her career, Strasser has accumulated 503 kills and 423 total blocks, which ranks 48th nationally among active Division I players.
In her senior season, Strasser has acquired 164 kills, 275.5 points, 142 total blocks, and 31 service aces entering the WAC Tournament.
Strasser notched 13 kills on a .500 hitting percentage, her collegiate career high at California Baptist. The middle blocker also tallied a career high in service aces at Tarleton State with five in the 3-0 victory.Aubrey Goodere, WAC All-Freshman Team
Goodere, a true freshman from Buckey, Arizona, claimed her first postseason conference honor after playing a big role in the Lopes' rotation. Goodere recorded 98 kills with 75 total blocks and 142.5 points.
The Estrella Foothills High School graduate earned ranked sixth in the WAC in blocks per set with 1.04 despite missing six matches because of an ankle injury.
The 6-foot-3 middle blocker set a season high of nine total blocks against Utah Valley in GCU's 3-0 road victory. Goodere also tallied a season-high nine kills on a .400 hitting clip against Fresno State.Taylor Kubacak, WAC All-Freshman Team
Kubacak, also a true freshman, claims the WAC honor after playing in all 28 matches for the Lopes. Kubacak originally committed to West Texas to play for head coach Kendra Potts, before Potts was hired to lead the Lopes. Kubacak then decided to head to Phoenix to be a part of the Potts era at GCU.
The Kerrville, Texas, native ranked sixth in the conference in assists with 6.25 per set. The setter established her season high of 45 assists in a 3-1 victory against Oregon State. Kubacak also had a strong stat line at Seattle U when she put up 44 assists, 17 digs and seven kills. GCU won that match 3-1.
Kubacak ranked third in the WAC and 73rd nationally with 41 service aces this season.
The Lopes, who earned the No. 2 seed for this week's WAC Tournament, also placed graduate outside hitter Ashley Lifgren and senior middle blocker Trista Strasser on All-WAC second team. GCU's Aubrey Goodere, a middle blocker, and Taylor Kubacak, a setter, were selected to the WAC All-Freshman Team.
In head coach Kendra Potts' first season at GCU, the Lopes boasted the most honorees (five) of any WAC team this postseason and the most for GCU since the Lopes also had five honorees when the 2020 season was held in the spring of 2021.
Tatum Parrott, All-WAC first team
Parrott led in kills per set (4.64) during WAC play to repeat first-team status. The Phoenix native became the Lopes Division I-era record holder for kills and surpassed the 1,000-kill mark against Tarleton State to reach 1,173 career kills. Parrott averages 4.14 kills per set on her collegiate career, ranking seventh among active Division 1 players. Parrott ranks 18th in the nation in points per set with 5.13. This season, Parrott tallied 376 kills, 441 points, 209 digs, 57 total blocks and 33 service aces. She becomes GCU volleyball's only three-time All-WAC honoree besides five-time honoree Klaire Mitchell (2019-23).
Parrott took the WAC Player of the Week award on Nov. 13 after earning 35 kills (5 per set), a .348 hitting percentage, 11 digs, four total blocks and three service aces over seven sets in two matches.
Ashley Lifgren, All-WAC second team
In her final season with the Lopes, Lifgren received her first All-WAC honor after collecting 202 kills with 148 digs and 30 total blocks in 84 sets played so far. The Peoria, Arizona, native and GCU graduate has been a Lope the entirety of her collegiate career. Lifgren has landed a total of 850 kills in 108 matches played.
Her .261 hitting and 84 sets played are career highs for Lifgren, who is having her third season of more than 200 kills and is nine points away from setting her single-season scoring high. Lifgren's best match of the season came at home against Tarleton State, when she tallied 16 kills on a .351 hitting clip to help the Lopes claim the match sweep.
Trista Strasser, All-WAC second team
Strasser ranks 11th nationally in total blocks with 142. The Kyle, Texas, native played the first two seasons of her collegiate career at Missouri before joining the Lopes in 2023. For her career, Strasser has accumulated 503 kills and 423 total blocks, which ranks 48th nationally among active Division I players.In her senior season, Strasser has acquired 164 kills, 275.5 points, 142 total blocks, and 31 service aces entering the WAC Tournament.
Strasser notched 13 kills on a .500 hitting percentage, her collegiate career high at California Baptist. The middle blocker also tallied a career high in service aces at Tarleton State with five in the 3-0 victory.
Aubrey Goodere, WAC All-Freshman Team
Goodere, a true freshman from Buckey, Arizona, claimed her first postseason conference honor after playing a big role in the Lopes' rotation. Goodere recorded 98 kills with 75 total blocks and 142.5 points. The Estrella Foothills High School graduate earned ranked sixth in the WAC in blocks per set with 1.04 despite missing six matches because of an ankle injury.
The 6-foot-3 middle blocker set a season high of nine total blocks against Utah Valley in GCU's 3-0 road victory. Goodere also tallied a season-high nine kills on a .400 hitting clip against Fresno State.
Taylor Kubacak, WAC All-Freshman Team
Kubacak, also a true freshman, claims the WAC honor after playing in all 28 matches for the Lopes. Kubacak originally committed to West Texas to play for head coach Kendra Potts, before Potts was hired to lead the Lopes. Kubacak then decided to head to Phoenix to be a part of the Potts era at GCU.The Kerrville, Texas, native ranked sixth in the conference in assists with 6.25 per set. The setter established her season high of 45 assists in a 3-1 victory against Oregon State. Kubacak also had a strong stat line at Seattle U when she put up 44 assists, 17 digs and seven kills. GCU won that match 3-1.
Kubacak ranked third in the WAC and 73rd nationally with 41 service aces this season.
Major WAC awards |
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| Award | Player | School |
| Player of the Year | Brianna Ford | UT Arlington |
| Settler of the Year | Mollie Blank | UT Arlington |
| Libero of the Year | Amanda Darling | California Baptist |
| Co-Freshman of the Year | Sjakkie Donkers | UT Arlington |
| Co-Freshman of the Year | Sami Blackett | Utah Valley |
| Coach of the Year | J.T. Wenger | UT Arlington |
Players Mentioned
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