Q: She's one of just four NCAA Division I athletes to play both women's basketball and volleyball. And through December 15, 2019, this student athlete from Topeka was the nation's Number One rebounder in women's college basketball. What's her name -- and the name of her Kansas team?
_________________________________________________________________________________
A: Peyton Williams / Kansas State Wildcats
As of December 15, K-State senior forward Peyton Williams was averaging more than 13 rebounds per game, making her the nation's Number One rebounder in Division I women's college basketball. The 6' 4" Williams is a Topeka native and a graduate of Cair Paravel Latin School. When it comes to college sports, Williams is a double threat. She is one of just four NCAA Division I athletes to play both women's basketball and volleyball. And she doesn't just participate. Williams dominates both sports and has collected All-Big 12 honors in each. Peyton Williams is such a double threat, her Twitter handle is pwdoublethreat.
Williams also competed as a member of the 2019 USA Basketball Pan American Team, helping the squad to earn a Silver Medal in Lima, Peru. And she isn't just about sports. K-State Volleyball Head Coach Suzie Fritz said, "I've been impressed with Peyton's varied interests. She can write. She loves to read. She loves poetry and theater. She's so much more than a multi-sport athlete. She is a multi-dimensional person." Athletic and academic? You bet. Earlier this year, Peyton Williams was named Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year! But back to some of those sports honors...
TROPHY CASE of PEYTON WILLIAMS (So far)
• 2020 Wade Trophy Watch List
• 2020 Women's Citizen Naismith Trophy Watch List
• 2020 John R. Wooden Award Watch List
• 2020 Katrina McClain Award Watch List
• 2019-20 ESPN.com Preseason Top-25 Player
• 2019-20 Preseason All-Big 12
• 2019 U.S. Pan American Games Team (silver medal)
• 2019 Google Cloud Academic All-District VII First Team
• 2019 Big 12 Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
• 2019 All-Big 12 First Team
• 2019 Big 12 All-Defensive Team
• Two-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team (2018, 2019)
• 2019 Big 12/Dr. Gerald Lage Academic Achievement Award
• 2019 Nicole Ohlde Defensive MVP
• 2019 Pat Bosco Academic Award
• 2019 Katrina McClain Award Watch List
• Big 12 Player of the Week (March 6)
• College Sports Madness Big 12 Player of the Week (Dec. 31)
• 2018 Cancun Challenge - Mayan Division All-Tournament Team
• 2018-19 Preseason All-Big 12 Team (Honorable Mention)
• 2018 CoSIDA Academic All-District VII Second Team
• 2018 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention Team
• 2018 Kendra Wecker Offensive MVP
• 2016-17 Big 12 Academic All-Rookie Team
• Two-time Big 12 WBB Freshman of the Week (Nov. 14 & Dec. 5)
• 2017 Big 12 VB All-Freshman Team
• Big 12 VB Freshman of the Week (Aug. 28)
• Five-time Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll
While we salute Kansas native Peyton Williams and her K-State Wildcats, we also want to show some love for the Kansas Jayhawks. The KU women's basketball team remains undefeated at 9-0, as of December 20. Go Cats & Go Hawks!
Discover more in #MyKPR's online archive of all things Kansas and trivia.