DALLAS, Texas – Conference USA released its Preseason All-Conference team for the 2025 season on Thursday with Callie Bauer, Alivia Skidmore, and Izzy Van De Wiele earning spots on the team. The league's head coaches also selected WKU to finish first in the conference.
WKU has won 19 of a possible 22 CUSA titles since joining the league in 2014 and finished the 2024 season with a 28-7 record and a perfect 18-0 record at E.A. Diddle Arena.
Bauer is the reigning CUSA Setter of the Year and an AVCA First Team All-Region member after the 2024 season where she appeared in all 126 sets and finished with 1,387 assists. Her total assists ranked her first in the conference and earned her third in total assists nationally. In addition, Bauer helped lead the Hilltoppers to a fourth-best hitting percentage in the country (.305). Her 11.01 assists per set also ranked her just outside the top 10 nationally at 11.
The Michigan native also finished the season with 300 digs, 96 kills, 57 blocks, and 36 aces across 35 matches. She also recorded the only triple-double of the season on Oct. 9 (10k, 15d, 39a). Thursday's announcement marks the third-straight year Bauer has appeared on the CUSA Preseason All-Conference team.
Van De Wiele nearly quadrupled her numbers from the 2023 season, going from 52 in 2023 to 177 in 2024. Van De Wiele appeared a few times in the national statistical rankings with her 177 total blocks ranking her fourth in the country. In addition, her 1.40 blocks per set led the conference, ranked 17th nationally, and also set a program record for single season blocks per set.
The junior also collected a total of 290 kills during the 2024 season alongside a .308 hitting percentage and posted a season-high 19 kills twice against FIU in the regular season and in the conference tournament.
Skidmore quickly made a name for herself during her inaugural season as the now-sophomore finished the season playing in 122 of the 126 total sets. Named to the CUSA All-Freshman team, Skidmore totaled 344 kills, 38 blocks, 74 digs, and nine aces on the season. She also finished with a .263 hitting percentage on the year.
WKU was picked to win the regular season title by CUSA coaches, earning eight of the 12 possible votes.
CUSA Preseason All-Conference Team
| Player | School |
| Anna Logan Gillens | Delaware |
| Mandi Morioka | FIU |
| Kayla Williams | Jax State |
| Olivia Burrage | Kennesaw State |
| Manu Johnsen | Kennesaw State |
| Sara Pustahija | UTEP |
| Danika Washington | UTEP |
| Kaya Weaver | UTEP |
| Ema Uskokovic | UTEP |
| Callie Bauer | WKU |
| Alivia Skidmore | WKU |
| Izzy Van De Wiele | WKU |
Predicted Order of Finish
|
Rank |
School (first-place votes) |
Total |
|
1. |
WKU (8) |
118 |
|
2. |
UTEP (4) |
114 |
|
3. |
Delaware |
87 |
|
4. |
Kennesaw State |
85 |
|
5. |
NM State |
82 |
|
6. |
Liberty |
73 |
|
7. |
FIU |
50 |
|
8. |
Sam Houston |
49 |
|
9. |
Missouri State |
45 |
|
10. |
Middle Tennessee |
44 |
|
10. |
Jax State |
33 |
|
10. |
LA Tech |
12 |
