Volleyball Voices

Leslie, Addicks and Alverson Named Southland Volleyball Players of the Week

Leslie, Addicks and Alverson Named Southland Volleyball Players of the Week

Leslie is first freshman this season to notch an award while Alverson and Addicks lead respective teams to 2-0 conference start

 

 

FRISCO, Texas – Stephen F. Austin freshman Cara Leslie earned the Offensive Player of the Week award while Jessica Addicks of Nicholls State and Brooke Alverson of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi were named Co-Defensive Players of the Week, following the conclusion of week four, the league announced Monday.

 

Offensive Player of the Week – Cara Leslie- Stephen F. Austin

Leslie had a breakout week for the Ladyjacks, earning all-tournament honors at the Chilly Fillmore’s Invitational and helping SFA to three wins and the tournament title. The true freshman averaged 3.55 kills per set in the three matches, hitting a gaudy .455 on 66 swings. She hit no lower than .440 in each of the three wins, starting with 10 kills, six blocks and a .471 attack percentage in a conference-opening win over Northwestern State. She then hit .458 with 14 kills in a sweep of Robert Morris, before rejecting four shots and adding 15 kills and a .440 attack percentage in a four-set win over Southern Mississippi.

 

Honorable Mention:  Jessica Hays, Central Arkansas; Alex Morford, Lamar; Jennifer Brandt, Nicholls State; Courtney Donald, Southeastern Louisiana; Tyger Holt, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

 

Co-Defensive Players of the Week – Jessica Addicks- Nicholls State and Brooke Alverson- Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Jessica Addicks played every set for the Colonels in their three-match wins over the week, averaging 1.31 blocks per set. Along with hitting .319 for the week and 17 total blocks, Addicks had nine service aces for a 0.69/set average and 2.96 points/set, accounting for 16.5 points in the win over McNeese. The Bellaire, Texas, native currently sits fifth in the conference with 39 blocks on the year.

 

Brooke Alverson was strong at the net for the Islanders; leading the team with 16 total blocks in Southland Conference matches against teams picked one and two in the preseason polls. Against previously unbeaten Central Arkansas, Alverson tied for a team high with eight block assists and added one block solo on the defensive end. Offensively, the junior middle blocker had six kills as the Islanders took down the Sugar Bears by a 3-2 final. On Saturday against Oral Roberts, Alverson added another block solo and six more block assists to lead the team to a 3-0 sweep over the Golden Eagles. She also had seven kills as the Islanders started 2-0 in Southland matches and improved to 9-4 overall on the year.

 

Honorable Mention: Keelie Arneson, Northwestern State; Megan McMillin, Southeastern Louisiana; Sabrina Burns, Stephen F. Austin.

 

Each school’s sports information director nominates and votes for the players of the week, though is not permitted to vote for his or her own player. To receive honorable mention, a player must receive votes from 25 percent of the Southland sports information directors.

 

 

#SouthlandStrong

 

 

Pac-12 Announces Volleyball Players of the Week

Pac-12 Announces Volleyball Players of the Week

 

 

Oregon State’s Nassar Selected Offensive Player of the Week

Washington State’s Glab Named Defensive Player of the Week

Arizona State’s Gardner Voted Freshman of the Week

 

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- The Pac-12 Conference office announced today the Pac-12 Volleyball Players of the Week for the week of Sept. 10-Sept. 16. OREGON STATE’S Arica Nassar was voted Offensive Player of the Week, WASHINGTON STATE’s Marcelina Glab was selected Defensive Player of the Week, and ARIZONA STATE’s Maccey Gardner was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week.

OREGON STATE’s Arica Nassar (Menifee, Calif.) helped guide the Beavers to claim the Fullerton Classic title, as OSU defeated Santa Clara, San Diego State and host-Cal State Fullerton. The sophomore finished with 33 kills over the three matches and produced a .500 hitting percentage. She also contributed seven digs and 19 blocks, an average of 1.73 per set. In the win over SDSU, the second of the weekend, she had a double-double with 10 kills and 10 blocks, then followed that up by collecting 12 kills in 14 attempts with just one error to hit .786 against the tournament host. Nassar was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.

WASHINGTON STATE junior Marcelina Glab (Watertown, S.D.) had a career-high 12 blocks to go with a career-best 13 kills and a .524 hitting percentage in the 3-1 win over CSU Bakersfield at the Air Force Academy Invitational. She helped the Cougars win the invitational title, the third of the year for the team, averaging 2.00 blocks and 3.59 points per set over the three match wins. She also contributed 2.36 kills per set and a .377 hitting percentage for the weekend. Glab leads the team with 1.59 bps, which ranks second in the Pac-12. Glab is the first Cougar to earn a weekly nod from the Conference since Sept. 8, 2009.

ARIZONA STATE freshman Macey Gardner (Gilbert, Ariz.) led the team with 67 kills (4.79 kps), had the second-most digs with 39 (2.79 dps), averaged a team-best 5.25 pps and had two double-doubles while lifting the Sun Devils to four victories and a tournament title at the ASU Sheraton Invitational. She posted two 20+ kill matches, 21 coming in a win over UC Riverside and 24 in the win against Gonzaga. The 24 kills ties for the fifth-best single-match output in the Pac-12 so far this season. She also added 12 digs against the Zags, the second double-double and third double-digit digs outing of the weekend. The tournament’s Most Valuable Player, Gardner hit .342 and averaged 0.39 blocks per set.

It is Nassar’s first-career offensive player of the week honor, but second weekly nod of the season. She was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week on Aug. 27. It is Oregon State’s 16th all-time weekly award. It is Glab’s first-career weekly award and WSU’s 21st all-time. Gardner is the second Sun Devil to be named the Conference’s freshman of the week.

Weekly awards have been selected every week of the season since the Conference began sponsoring women’s volleyball in 1986. It is the second year the Pac-12 has announced an offensive, defensive and rookie honoree.

The Pac-12 slate gets underway this week with every Pac-12 team taking on their traditional rival on Tuesday or Wednesday. ASU and WSU get the action started with both teams hitting the road on Tuesday. OSU will also go on the road, traveling to OREGON on Wednesday. The weekend wraps up with six matches altogether on Friday and Saturday.

The women’s volleyball television schedule amps up this week, as well, with both the ASU at ARIZONA and WSU at WASHINGTON matches being televised on the Pac-12 Networks. Nine matches in all will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks this week as part of the unprecedented 82-live match broadcast slate this season.

For more information, including a full television schedule, visit www.pac-12.com.

Also Nominated:

OFFENSIVE: Madi Kingdon, ARIZ; Macey Gardner, ASU; Correy Johnson, CAL; Nikki Lindow, COLO; Liz Brenner, ORE; Arica Nassar, OSU; Carly Wopat, STAN; Tabi Love, UCLA; Katie Fuller, USC;  Morgan Odale, UTAH; Gabbi Parker, WASH; Jaicee Harris, WSU.

DEFENSIVE: Candace Nicholson, ARIZ; Alexis Pinson, ASU; Mary McKennon, CAL; Haley Jacob, ORE; Alyssa O’Neil, OSU; Carly Wopat, STAN; Bojana Todorovic, UCLA; Natalie Hagglund, USC; Bailey Bateman, UTAH; Lianna Sybeldon, WASH; Marcelina Glab, WSU.

FRESHMAN: Olivia Magill, ARIZ; Macey Gardner, ASU; Mary McKennon, CAL; Nicole Edelman, COLO; Canace Finley, ORE; Inky Ajanaku, STAN; Becca Strehlow, UCLA; Samantha Bricio, USC; Lianna Sybeldon, WASH

 

2012 Pac-12 Women’s Volleyball Players of the Week

 

Offensive Defensive Freshman

Aug. 27 Alaina Bergsma, ORE Arica Nassar, OSU Samantha Bricio, USC

Sept. 3 Krista Vansant, WASH Karsta Lowe, UCLA Samantha Bricio, USC

Sept. 10 Camille Saxton, OSU Becky Defoe, OSU Madi Bugg, STAN

Sept. 17 Arica Nassar, OSU Marcelina Glab, WSU Macey Gardner, ASU

 

Addicks Lands Southland Conference Co-Defensive Player Of the Week Honors

Addicks Lands Southland Conference Co-Defensive Player of The Week Honors

Senior middle blocker hit .316 with nine aces over the week

 

THIBODAUX, La. – Nicholls State University senior middle blocker Jessica Addicks was named the Southland Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Week the league announced this afternoon.

 

It is the first Southland honor this season for Addicks and the Colonels, who have won their last three matches.

 

The Bellaire, Texas native hit .319 for the Colonels in their three match wins last week, with 21 kills and an assist as the Colonels defeated UNO last Tuesday and began league play 2-0 for the first time since 2010 with wins over Lamar and McNeese State.

 

Along with an impressive offensive showing, Addicks had 17 total blocks and three digs as opposing teams hit just .161 against Nicholls. She averaged 1.31 blocks per set, as well as drilling nine service aces for a 0.69/set average and 2.96 points/set average, accounting for 16.5 points in the win over McNeese.

 

The Colonels return to action this weekend, traveling to face the Central Arkansas Sugar Bears and Oral Roberts Golden Eagles.

Mid American Conference Announces Volleyball Players of the Week

Mid American Conference Announces Volleyball Players of the Week

 

 

West Division Offensive Player of the Week

Kara Bates, Ball State, Sr., OH, Bradley, Ill./Bradley Bourbonnais Community

Named the Most Valuable Player of the Ball State Tournament after guiding the Cardinals to wins over Pittsburgh (3-0), Wright State (3-0) and Wyoming (3-10 … Led all players in the event with a 4.00 kills-per-set average (40 kills), while hitting an impressive .330 (40-11-88) over the three matches … Earned a pair of kill/dig double-doubles on the weekend and ranked sixth overall in the event with a 3.60 digs-per-set average.

 

East Division Offensive Player of the Week

Paige Penrod, Bowling Green, Jr, LS, Circleville, Ohio/Logan Elm

Paige Penrod was named to the Purdue Active Ankle Challenge All-Tournament Team after averaging 4.91 kills per set and 5.41 points per set in guiding Bowling Green to a 2-1 record at the event. Penrod had at least 14 kills in each of the three matches, including a weekend-high 21 in a win over Jacksonville State. On top of that, Penrod averaged 2.55 digs per set, was perfect in 58 serve receive attempts, and had six blocks. 

 

Co-West Division Defensive Player of the Week

Catie Fredrich, Ball State, Jr., L, Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls

Named to the Ball State Tournament All-Tournament team after leading the Cardinals to wins over Pittsburgh (3-0), Wright State (3-0) and Wyoming (3-1) in the two-day event … Led all players with a 5.40 digs-per-set average (54 digs), while posting a perfect 1.000 reception percentage over the two days by successfully passing all 33 service attempts she faced … Her passing helped Ball State posted a .304 team hitting percentage for the week, while her defensive played helped limit BSU’s opponents to a .137 hitting mark.

 

Lena Oliver, Western Michigan, Jr., L, Battle Creek, Mich. / St. Philip Catholic Central

Oliver helped the Broncos to a 2-1 record at the Northwestern Wildcat Classic over the weekend, including a pair of 3-0 sweeps over Saint Louis and Delaware.Oliver led the Broncos with 57 digs and a 5.70 digs/set average over the weekend, including match-highs of 17 and 23 against the Billikens and Blue Hens, respectively.  Oliver had 17 digs against Saint Louis and the Broncos out-dug the Billikens 63-53 and held their opponents to a miniscule .083 hitting percentage.  Oliver’s 23 digs were part of a defensive effort against Delaware that saw the Broncos hold the Blue Hens to .196 hitting and out-dig them 60-46.

 

Co-East Division Defensive Player of the Week

Jill Paluch, Akron, Jr., DS, Chicago, Ill./Nazareth Academy

Jill Paluch was the spearhead of the Akron defense once again as the Zips went 2-1 at the Hampton Invitational at Bryant University. The All-Tournament Team selection scored well above her season average with 5.40 digs per set on the weekend, posting match-high numbers against Bryant and Northern Kentucky. Paluch’s 20 digs against NKU ties her career-high mark that was set in the first match of the season. Over the course of the three matches, Paluch posted a .96 receiving percentage with just two errors. Following her lead, as a team the Zips have out-dug their opponents in the last eight consecutive matches.

 

Kelly Svoboda, Buffalo, Jr., L, Cleveland, OH/Trinity

Kelly Svoboda was named to the All-Tournament team at the Blue and White Classic as UB went a perfect 3-0 to win the tournament championship.  Svoboda had 26 digs in UB’s five-set victory over Dartmouth on Friday night and then had pair of 15-dig matches in UB’s two 3-0 sweeps on Saturday.  Svoboda, who missed the first two weekends of the season, added four services over the three matches. Svoboda averaged 5.09 digs per game on thw week and totaled 56 digs.

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Additional Nominees for Defensive Player of the Week

Jenna Coates, Central Michigan, Jr., L, Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston

Central Michigan junior Jenna Coates once again led the match in digs Saturday night, recording 18 against IPFW inside McGuirk Arena. Coates finished the night with 4.50 digs per set, helping the Chippewas limit the Mastodons to a .197 hitting percentage. Coates play has been instrumental in the Chippewas leading the MAC in hitting percentage as she ranks 32nd in the country in digs per set with 5.07. 

 

Sierra Reed, Eastern Michigan, Fr., L, Parker City, Ind./Wapahani

Freshman libero, Sierra Reed, posted double-figure digs in three of Eastern’s four matches this week. Reed notched 21 digs against in-state rival Oakland University Tuesday, Sept. 11. She also had just two reception errors in 49 attempts for a .959 percentage. The freshman posted reception percentages above .900 in each of EMU’s four matches, including a .977 against Duke University, Sept. 14. She made just one reception error in 43 attempts against the Blue Devils. The Parker City, Ind. native averaged 3.50 digs per set and a .947 reception percentage during the four matches this week.

 

Hannah Herc, Kent State, Jr., DS/L, Eden, N.Y./Eden

Kent State junior defensive specialist/libero Hannah Herc (Eden, N.Y.) tallied a team-high 37 digs and 4.11 digs per set at the Butler Invitational over the weekend. Herc led the team in digs in all three matches, including nine in a 3-0 loss to UC Davis on Friday (Sept. 14), 17 in a 3-0 loss to SE Missouri State on Saturday (Sept. 15), and 11 in a 3-0 loss to Butler. On the season, she leads the Golden Flashes with 145 digs and 3.54 digs per set.

 

Amber Walker, Northern Illinois, Sr., L, Juneau, Alaska/Juneau Douglas/Western Oregon

Walker recorded 4.93 digs per game this past weekend where the Huskies went 2-2.  She recorded a weekend hight 25 digs in NIU's loss to Northern Iowa.

 

Kelly Lamberti, Ohio, So., OH, Cary, Ill./Cary Grove

Lamberti led the Bobcats in kills and was second in digs this weekend. She had 21 kills and 19 digs in a five-setter against North Carolina, both season-highs. She had 13 kills, four service aces and five digs against UNCG and closed the weekend with 11 digs and seven kills against NC State.

 

Additional Nominees for Offensive Player of the Week

Alex Cocklin, Akron, Jr., OH, Rochester, Mich./Marian High School

Alex Cocklin proved to be an offensive weapon for Akron during its 2-1 showing at the Bryant Hampton Invitational. The outside hitter played well above her season averages, hitting for double figures in all three matches and averaging 4.20 kills per game. Against Northern Kentucky, Cocklin led both teams with 19 kills, which was also a new career-high mark. Overall, she posted a .344 hitting percentage to go along with two service aces for 4.7 points per game.

 

Dana Musil, Buffalo, Jr., OH, Vancouver, British Columbia/South Delta

Dana Musil was named the Tournament Most Valuable Player at the Blue and White Classic as the Bulls went a perfect 3-0 on the weekend.  On Saturday, UB won both of its matches 3-0, including the tournament championship over Syracuse.  Against the Orange, Musil had 19 kills, tying a school record for kills in a three-set match.  It was the first time that a player has had 19 kills in a three set match in the new 25-point scoring format.  Musil also added three service aces in the victory over its Big East foe.

 

Lindsey Dulude, Central Michigan, Sr., OH,  Midland, Mich./Midland

Senior Lindsey Dulude recorded a season-high 16 kills versus IPFW Saturday night, the Chippewas’ only match of the season. Dulude finished the night with 17 points, putting together dominant performances in the first and fourth sets as she recorded six kills in the first set and five kills in the fourth. The senior is second on the team with 107 kills on the season and leads all Chippewas with 10 aces on the year. 

 

Rachel Iaquaniello, Eastern Michigan, Sr., OH, Plymouth, Mich./Dearborn Divine Child

Senior outside hitter, Rachel Iaquaniello, led the Eagles offense over the last week notching 60 kills, averaging 15 kills per set. Her best performance of the week came, Sept. 11, when the Green and White fell to Oakland University. The Plymouth, Mich. native posted a double-double with 22 kills and 17 digs against the Golden Grizzlies. Her 22 kills tied the second-most on the season for Eastern’s all-time kill leader. The senior notched double-doubles in three of EMU’s four matches over the week. Not only did Iaquaniello post good offensive numbers, but defensively she had double-figure digs in three matches and posted a .978 reception percentage, making just one error in 45 total attempts.

 

MacKenzie Roddy, Northern Illinois, So., OH, San Bernardino, Calif./Cajon

Named to Bradley’s CEFCU Classic All-Tournament Team after going off for a career-high 30 kills in a comeback five-set win over Bradley as she also had a career-high four aces and hit an astonishing .407 on 59 swings with only six errors.

 

Abby Gilleland, Ohio, Fr., S, Bull Valley, Ill./Marian Central Catholic

Abby Gilleland is leading the Bobcats in assists during her freshman campaign. She had 37 assists, eight digs, four blocks and five aces during a five-setter with UNC. Gilleland had four kills and 29 digs against UNCG and five kills with 20 digs against NC State. 

 

Dakota  Harkins, Toledo, Jr., MB, Canal Fulton, OH/Northwest

Junior MB Dakota Harkins posted a team-high .424 attack percentage to earn all-tournament team honors at Wake Forest’s Black & Gold Challenge. Harkins also ranked second on the team with 2.45 kills per set and registered a career-high 14 kills and season-best .550 attack percentage vs. Appalachian State. She also tallied 13 kills and a .417 hitting mark vs. Campbell.

 

Terin Norris, Western Michigan, R-So., S, Dowling, Mich. / Delton Kellogg

Norris was named to the All-Tournament squad at the Northwestern Wildcat Classic, as she helped the Broncos to a 2-1 record on the weekend that included sweep victories over Saint Louis and Delaware.  Norris recorded her team-leading sixth double-double of the season against the Billikens on Friday, notching 30 assists and 13 digs in the Broncos’ 3-0 win.  Norris would be even better in the Friday nightcap against Delaware, recording 43 assists and 10 digs against the Blue Hens in helping WMU to a 3-0 win.  Norris would be a key part of the Broncos’ efforts to rally against Northwestern on Sunday, posting 41 assists and an ace for the Broncos in the 3-1 loss.

 

Walker and McIntyre Sweep America East Honors after Being Named to Pirate Invitational All-Tournament Team

Walker and McIntyre Sweep America East Honors after Being Named to Pirate Invitational All-Tournament Team 

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – UMBC freshman outside hitter Sherelle Walker (New Freedom, Pa./Susquehannock) was named both the conference Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week while junior setter Mallory McIntyre(Winnipeg, Manitoba/St. Mary’s Academy) was named the America East Setter of the Week, the conference office announced Monday afternoon.  Both McIntyre and Walker were named to the Pirate Invitational All-Tournament Team after the Retrievers went 2-1 over the weekend at East Carolina.  UMBC also defeated St. Francis (Pa.) 3-2 on Tuesday evening for the team’s first five-set win of the year.

Walker had another stellar slate of contests for the Retrievers finishing the week with a team-high 52 kills in the four matches, including 40 during the tournament.  The rookie opened her tournament account with 15 kills against ECU and finished it with a 19-kill effort against Marshall.  In addition, Walker posted 12 kills in the Retrievers’ five-set victory at St. Francis (Pa.).

For the season, Walker leads UMBC and is fifth in the conference with 180 kills, averaging 2.95 kills per set.   In addition, she is eighth in the America East with a .220 hitting percentage.

Coming back from injury, McIntyre entered in the second set of UMBC’s opening match of the weekend against ECU and never relinquished the reins to the setter position, finishing the weekend with 106 assists. Against the Pirates on Friday, the junior recorded a career-high 38 assists and completed her first ever double-double with ten digs while leading the Retrievers to a 3-1 victory.

On Saturday, McIntyre equaled her personal record by dishing out another 38 assists as UMBC downed former Big South conference rival Coastal Carolina.  Then in the final against the Thundering Herd, McIntyre assisted 30 winners but UMBC fell 3-1.

Finished with non-conference play, UMBC opens its America East schedule this Friday, Sept. 21 at Binghamton.  The match between the Retrievers and Bearcats is set to start at 7 p.m. at West Gym.

Katie Daorai Named Colonial Athletic Association Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week

Katie Daorai Named Colonial Athletic Association Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week

 

 

 

 

RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 17, 2012 – James Madison volleyball junior libero Katie Daorai (Tampa, Fla./Plant) has been named the Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Monday. She is the third JMU player to garner a conference honor this season, and this is her fifth conference recognition overall.

 

Daorai helped lead her team to a 3-1 record last week. She helped limit opponents to a .150 hitting percentage for the week, collecting 64 digs in just 11 sets played. She was named to the USF Volleyball Invitational All-Tournament team and averaged 5.82 digs per set, including tying her career-high with 31 digs in a four-set win over FIU.

 

The Dukes’ junior libero is averaging 4.50 digs per set this season. She has collected 171 digs in 38 sets played and has already set a new career-high for service aces in a season with 15. Her previous high for a season was 14.

 

Daorai joins sophomore middle blocker Lizzy Briones (Siloam Springs, Ark./Siloam Springs) and freshman outside hitter Meghan Niski (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles East) as conference award winners this season. Briones was the CAA Player of the Week last week while Niski earned Rookie of the Week accolades during the opening week of play.

 

Daorai twice was named the CAA Defensive Player of the Week as a sophomore while winning CAA Rookie of the Week twice in 2010.

 

JMU returns to play this weekend as it opens up CAA play on Saturday, Sept. 22 against Georgia State. First serve is schedule for 7 p.m. at Sinclair Gymnasium/Godwin Hall.

 

Women's Volleyball: Jazmine Orozco Named West Coast Conference Volleyball Player of the Week

Women's Volleyball: Jazmine Orozco Named West Coast Conference Player of the Week

Sept. 17, 2012

MALIBU, Calif. – After registering kills-digs double-doubles in all three of the Pepperdine women’s volleyball team’s shut-out victories last week, Jazmine Orozco was named the West Coast Conference Player of the Week. This is the first weekly conference award for both the Waves and Orozco in 2012.

In the grand finale of the preconference season, the Waves, ranked #18 at the time, faced four opponents – three of them ranked in the AVCA top-25 – in four days.

Last week Wednesday, Pepperdine went toe-to-toe with the defending NCAA champions and #2-ranked UCLA inside the John Wooden Center. Although the Bruins walked away victorious, Pepperdine got an A+ performance from Orozco (Lakewood, Calif./Lakewood HS/Illinois), who produced a team-high 12 kills while hitting .417.

Friday was a whirlwind day, as the Waves played #11 Florida State at 11:30 a.m., followed by a 4:30 p.m. match versus #21 Ohio State. Despite the tough schedule at the Flo Hyman Collegiate Cup, Pepperdine won both matches in straight sets.

Orozco registered double-doubles in both matches. She tallied a team-high 12 putaways against the Seminoles, to go along with her 10 digs. In the follow-up contest, the junior paced the Waves in both kills and digs with 13 and 14, respectively.

During the final match of the weekend, Orozco recorded her third double-double in two days – fifth of the season and eighth of her career – against the tournament host Houston. She was credited with 14 kills and 11 digs to bring her week averages to 4.25 kill/set and 3.33 kills/set.

Orozco by far was the favorite target of setter Kellie Woolever (Long Beach, Calif./Woodrow Wilson HS), registering nearly twice as many attack attempts as any other Wave. Despite the heavy work load, Orozco still managed a high hitting percentage and finished the week with a four-match clip of .330 (51 kills-15 errors-109 attacks).

The outside hitter was a near unanimous choice for the Flo Hyman Classic Most Valuable Player. This was the third time she has been singled out during a tournament, picking up all-tournament honors at both the Pepperdine Asics Classic and the Rams Volleyball Classic prior to this weekend.

Pepperdine boasts a league-best 53 overall WCC Player of the Week selections, dating back to the 1995 season.

The Waves open the conference season this Thursday, with a 6 p.m. (PT) match at BYU. The team returns to Firestone Fieldhouse on Saturday, when Pepperdine plays host to Portland at 1 p.m.

2012 WEST COAST CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Aug. 27: Jennifer Hamson, BYU
Sep. 3: Jocelyn Levig, USF
Sep. 10: Jennifer Hamson, BYU
Sep. 17: Jazmine Orozco, PEP

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Kelly Svoboda Named Mid American Conference East Co-Defensive Volleyball Player Of The Week

Kelly Svoboda Named Mid American Conference East Co-Defensive Volleyball Player Of The Week

BUFFALO, NY - Fresh of their Blue and White Classic Tournament Championship, the University at Buffalo volleyball team continued to receive recognitions on Monday afternoon as junior libero Kelly Svoboda was named the MAC East Co-Defensive Player Of The Week, the conference office announced.  Svoboda, who was playing her first home matches of the season, was one of three Bulls named to the All-Tournament Team.

Svoboda had 26 digs in UB’s five-set victory over Dartmouth on Friday night and then had a pair of 15-dig matches in UB’s two 3-0 sweeps on Saturday.  Svoboda, who missed the first two weekends of the season, added four services over the three matches. Svoboda averaged 5.09 digs per game on the week and totaled 56 digs.

“I am happy to see her get recognized after having to sit out the first two weeks and it shows the hard work she has put in to get back out on the court,” said head coach Todd Kress. “I thought her defense this past weekend was excellent and she was able to keep us in system during those victories.”

In just six matches, Svoboda has recorded 100 kills, which is second on the team.  Her 4.35 kills per set rank her first on the team and eighth in the conference.

Svoboda and the Bulls begins conference play on Thursday night when they head to Akron for a 7:00 pm start.

Jocelynn Birks Named Big Ten Volleyball Player,Freshman of the Week

Jocelynn Birks Named Big Ten Volleyball Player,Freshman of the Week

This is the first Big Ten weekly honor for the Illini in 2012

 

 

Champaign, Ill. – Redshirt freshman Jocelynn Birks was named both Player and Freshman of the Week today by the Big Ten Conference. Birks is the first member of the Illini to earn a weekly award this season, and the first freshman to receive a Big Ten honor since teammate Anna Dorn was named Defensive Player and Freshman of the Week on Oct. 10, 2011. Birks is the first Illinois freshman to be named Big Ten Player of the Week since Volunteer Coach Laura DeBruler earned the honor twice in October of 2007.

Birks led the Illini to wins over No. 6 Texas (3-2), UCF (3-0) and Cincinnati (3-1) this past weekend, as Illinois swept the Time Warner Cable Texas Invitational in Austin. The young outside hitter recorded double-doubles in all three matches, averaging 5.0 kills and 3.3 digs per set. A native of Willow Springs, Ill., Birks led allplayers at the invitational with 60 kills and 65 points en route to earning MVP honors.

Michigan State junior Alexis Matthews was named Defensive Player of the Week and Northwestern senior Madalyn Shalter earned her second-straight Setter of the Week award. Mathews helped the Spartans to 3-set victories over Presbyterian and Georgetown and a 3-1 defeat of the College of Charleston to win the Holiday Inn Charleston/Mt. PleasantTournament. The Detroit, Mich., native recorded 17 blocks to average 1.7 per set, including a math-high seven blocks against the Cougars.

Shalter helped Northwesterncapture the Wildcat Classic title with wins over Delaware (3-0), Saint Louis (3-0) and Western Michigan (3-10. She had two double-doubles in the three matches, including 45 assists and 17 digs against the Broncos.

The Illini return to action on Friday night, when they host No. 12 Minnesota in the Big Ten opener at 7 p.m. at Huff Hall. The match, which is Community Church Youth Group Night, will air live on the Big Ten Network.

 

 

Yildirim Named ACC Volleyball Co-Player of the Week

Yildirim Named ACC Volleyball Co-Player of the Week

Outside hitter from Istanbul, Turkey is the second Seminole to earn conference honor this season

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (seminoles.com) – Senior outside hitter and co-captain Fatma Yildirim has been rewarded for her excellent performance this past weekend by being named the Atlantic Coast Conference Co-Player of the Week, announced today.

 

Yildirim shares the honor with Georgia Tech outside hitter Bailey Hunter after leading the Seminoles to a 2-1 record at the Flo Hyman Collegiate Cup in Houston, Texas. No. 15 Florida State started off the invitational with a 3-0 loss to No. 13 Pepperdine, but rebounded with a three-set victory over Houston and a four-set win against No. 23 Ohio State.

 

The Istanbul, Turkey, native was consistently good all weekend long. Against Pepperdine, Yildirim recorded her ninth career double-double with 14 kills and 10 digs while producing a .448 hitting percentage. Versus Houston, Yildirim added 11 kills, eight digs and two blocks.

 

The final match of the weekend against the Buckeyes was one of the best of her career. She finished with a career-high 20 kills, nine digs and two blocks while posting a .462 hitting percentage.

 

For the weekend, Yildirim led the Seminoles with 45 kills, 4.5 kills per set and a .400 clip. Florida State picked up its third Top 25 victory of the season, while Yildirim joined fellow co-captain Katie Mosher in being named to the Flo Hyman Collegiate Cup All-Tournament Team.

 

Yildirim is the second Seminole to be named ACC Player or Co-Player of the week this season. Junior middle blocker Ashley Neff also earned the honor following the first tournament of the season at the Comcast Lady Vol Classic.

 

Florida State gets back into conference action this weekend with a match at Virginia Tech on Friday, Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. The Seminoles then play at Virginia on Saturday at 7 p.m.

 

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