Maya Sands Officially Named Three-Time Defending SEC Libero of the Year, Two Tigers Named All-SEC
11/19/2025 10:09:00 AM | Volleyball
Maya Sands and Caylen Alexander added to the All-SEC Second Team ahead of the SEC Tournament.
Mizzou volleyball's Maya Sands (Rock Falls, Ill./Rock Falls HS) earned her third-straight SEC Libero of the Year Award, making her the third player in conference history to win the award in three consecutive seasons. Sands and fellow senior Caylen Alexander (Alpharetta, Ga./Centennial HS) were named to the All-SEC second team, the conference announced on Wednesday, Nov. 19.
In her three years with the Tigers, Sands has posted a clean sweep of the Libero of the Year award, making her the lone MU student-athlete to claim it. Since the award was first established back in 2009, only players from five schools – Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida, South Carolina, and Mizzou – have won the prize, and the Tigers are one of two schools to have won it more than twice – Kentucky.
The senior from Rock Falls, Illinois, ranked first during the conference slate with 270 digs (4.66 digs per set). Sands also recorded the highest number of digs in conference play for a single game, as she set a new career high with 32 against South Carolina (10/24/25).
Sands paced the rest of the SEC by over 70 digs, recording 490 during the regular season and leading the league with a 4.71 digs per set total.
Caylen Alexander was added to the All-SEC second team in her first season with the conference, as she has now earned postseason conference honors four times (All-Big West; 2022-24).
The senior from Alpharetta, Ga., led the way for the Tigers with 390 kills (4.11 per set) and was fourth in points per set, 5.16, during conference play. Alexander also recorded 16 service aces in conference play, ranking her seventh in the SEC. She was also fourth on the team in digs with 177 for the season.
Alexander ended the regular season second on the team in double-doubles, tallying six. Against Florida (10/10/25), the outside hitter recorded 24 kills, 15 digs, and one service ace with a hitting percentage of .333 for the match.
2025 SEC Volleyball Awards Presented by Allstate
All-SEC First Team
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Lauren Dreves, Auburn |
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Jaela Auguste, Florida |
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Bianna Muoneke, Georgia |
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Brooklyn DeLeye, Kentucky |
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Eva Hudson, Kentucky |
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Kassie O'Brien, Kentucky |
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Jurnee Robinson, LSU |
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Alexis Shelton, Oklahoma |
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Caroline Kerr, Tennessee |
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Hayden Kubik, Tennessee |
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Cari Spears, Texas |
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Torrey Stafford, Texas |
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Ifenna Cos-Okpalla, Texas A&M |
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Logan Lednicky, Texas A&M |
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Kyndal Stowers, Texas A&M |
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Maddie Waak, Texas A&M |
All-SEC Second Team
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Jordyn Byrd, Florida |
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Alexis Stucky, Florida |
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Molly Tuozzo, Kentucky |
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Lindsey Mangelson, Mississippi State |
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Caylen Alexander, Missouri |
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Maya Sands, Missouri |
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Kelli Jo Burgess, Oklahoma |
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Emma Halter, Texas |
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Jackie Moore, Vanderbilt |
All-Freshman Team
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Lily Hayes, Florida |
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Milica Vidacic, Florida |
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Kassie O'Brien, Kentucky |
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Lindsey Mangelson, Mississippi State |
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Zoë Humphrey, Tennessee |
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Taylor Harvey, Texas |
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Cari Spears, Texas |
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Abby Vander Wal, Texas |
Player of the Year: Eva Hudson, Kentucky
Libero of the Year: Maya Sands, Missouri
Newcomer of the Year: Eva Hudson, Kentucky
Freshman of the Year: Kassie O'Brien, Kentucky
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Jackie Moore, Vanderbilt
Coach of the Year: Craig Skinner, Kentucky
UP NEXT
The Tigers take on the SEC Tournament, facing the winner of Ole Miss and LSU in the second round on Saturday, Nov. 22, in Savannah, Ga.
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