Armour Named All-Big 12 First Team and Scholar Athlete of the Year, Haley Secures Rookie Team NodArmour Named All-Big 12 First Team and Scholar Athlete of the Year, Haley Secures Rookie Team Nod
Conor Kvatek / UCF Athletics

Armour Named All-Big 12 First Team and Scholar Athlete of the Year, Haley Secures Rookie Team Nod

by Alex Clough

ORLANDO - On the back of a foundational season for the UCF volleyball program, which saw first-year head coach Matt Botsford lead the Knights to improvements across the board, two of the Black and Gold’s key contributors have been recognized with Big 12 postseason honors.

Announced Tuesday afternoon by the conference office, Avah Armour has been named the 2025 Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year, along with garnering All-Big 12 First Team honors, while freshman Alexa Haley secured a nod to the Big 12 All-Rookie Team. 

A historic announcement for the program, Armour becomes the first Knight to tally first team and scholar-athlete honors since joining the conference in 2023. The same goes for Haley, who made history earlier this season when she was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 11, becoming the first freshman to achieve the feat since 2021.

Armour is one of 18 athletes to secure a spot on the first team, recognizing the junior for a career season in Black and Gold. The Knights are one of six programs in the Big 12 to have a player named to both the first team and the all-rookie team.

Avah Armour

  • Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year
  • All-Big 12 First Team

Named to the Big 12 Preseason Team before the 2025 campaign, the expectations for Armour were clear. With two seasons of collegiate play under her belt, the junior didn’t just surpass them; she made history.

Setting career marks in kills (457) and points (513), Armour became one of 12 Knights in program history to surpass more than 500 points in a single season, leading UCF in nearly every offensive category.

Ava has built herself into one of the top outside hitters in the nation, and I am so happy to see her being recognized for what she has accomplished. She has shouldered a heavy load for us all season long and has done a remarkable job at maintaining a high level throughout. Her evolution as an all-around player was a big factor in our successes and a reflection of a lot of hard work that she has put in.

Matt BotsfordHead Coach

The Colorado native finished the regular season fourth in the conference in points per set in Big 12 matches (337.5), increasing her game against the nation’s best. Her 4.35 kills per set throughout the season rank her seventh in the Big 12 and 32nd in the nation.

Armour tallied double-digit kills in 26 of 29 matches this season, including 14 consecutive from Sept. 19 to Nov. 8. Setting career highs on multiple occasions, a premier performance of the season came during a five-set thriller in her native Colorado, tallying 30 kills against the Buffaloes and a staggering 34.5 points.

Five 20-plus kill outings, highlighted by three straight against Houston (28), Texas Tech (27), and BYU (25), put her talents on the map. An all-around player, Armour's defensive efforts were also a point of emphasis, ranking second on the team in digs (208) and fifth in blocks (46).

Complimented by a strong academic mindset, with Armour boasting a 3.94 GPA while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Finance, she is a model for both current and future Knights on and off the court.

Alexa Haley

  • Big 12 All-Rookie Team

Assuming libero duties just as the conference season rolled around, Haley turned heads throughout each match on the court, making her freshman standing an afterthought as she led one of the Big 12’s best defenses.

Originally committed to FGCU to play under Botsford, the Naples native made the decision to make the switch to Orlando, seeking to prove her talents in the nation’s top conference. Opposite some of the NCAA’s best at her position, Haley made her mark with a team-leading 319 digs (3.26 per set).

Lexi's transition into the college game was remarkable, but I don't think any of us on staff would consider it surprising. She is such a phenomenal talent and the kind of competitor that we could count on to perform at a high level week in and week out. Wearing that libero jersey comes with a lot of responsibility...which is a lot to ask of anyone, let alone a freshman. But Lexi understands the role and knows how to make a positive impact on the floor, which she did all season long.

Matt BotsfordHead Coach

In conference games, the first year’s 3.71 digs per set ranked eighth, while she was the centerpiece in a UCF defense that held opponents to a minimal .200 hitting percentage, the fourth lowest in the Big 12. While inexperienced in many of the situations Haley faced, the Knight showed the composure of an upperclassman while commanding the back row.

A climax came in a dominating two-match sweep of Houston and No. 24 Iowa State in Orlando, tallying a combined 32 digs while holding each team to a sub-.200 hitting percentage. The performances garnered Haley a Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week nod, becoming the first freshman to secure either an offensive or defensive honor since 2023.

Haley is one of two liberos to secure all-rookie team honors, joining Baylor’s Morgan Madison.

ABOUT UCF ATHLETICS

UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program, representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as "Orlando's Hometown Team". To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our websites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.