Burgess Named Pacific South Region Freshman of the Year; Robinson Lands on All-Region First Team

SALT LAKE CITY – Freshman standout KJ Burgess was named the AVCA Pacific South Region Freshman of the Year, while fifth year senior Madelyn Robinson collected her second-straight All-Region first team honor. Burgess also landed on the All-Region team as an honorable mention selection.

Burgess becomes Utah’s third-ever Region Freshman of the Year, joining Airial Salvo (2005) and Sydney Anderson (2006). The yearly award in the Pacific South region marks the fourth consecutive season that an award has been won by a Ute after Dani Drews took the past three Region Player of the Year awards. With the selections of Robinson and Burgess to the All-Region team, it is the sixth-straight season at least two Utes have been selected.

Burgess earned the yearly award after an outstanding freshman season, leading all Pac-12 freshmen in hitting percentage and blocks per set, while ranking in the top-six nationally among freshmen in both categories. Burgess led the Utes in blocks per set (1.20) and hitting percentage (.376), and finished the regular season in the top-five among all Pac-12 players in each category. Her .376 hitting percentage ranks second all-time at Utah in a single season.

The Alpine, Utah native hit above .400 in 16 matches. She posted a career-high 13 kills on .650 hitting at California with no errors. Burgess tallied a season-high seven blocks in three different matches, and led the Utes in blocks in 16 matches during her true freshman season.

Robinson earned the second All-Region award of her career after finishing second in the Pac-12 with 4.51 kills per set, which ranked 11th nationally at the end of the regular season. The Highland, Utah native recorded seven matches of 20 or more kills this year and led Utah in kills in all but two matches that she played in.

Robinson posted a career high 28 kills in just four sets against Oregon this season, while she recorded a career-best 18 digs against Milwaukee and career-high six blocks against Oregon State. Robinson tallied 15 or more kills in 17 matches this season and also posted five double-doubles, which was the second most on the team.

For a full look at the 2022 AVCA All-Region teams, click here.