Illinois, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State and Wisconsin Capture Big Ten Weekly Volleyball Awards
Fighting Illini’s Brown, Spartans’ Franklin, Gophers’ Wenaas, Buckeyes’ Murr and Badgers’ Orzol earn top conference honors this week
Player of the Week
Jenna Wenaas, Minnesota
So. – OH – Frisco, Texas – Liberty – Major: Health & Well-Being Sciences
• Averaged 4.67 kills, 3.17 digs, 1.33 blocks and 0.67 per set with a .333 hitting percentage last week, helping the Gophers to a pair of wins at their Diet Coke Classic
• Notched her second career double-double on Sept. 18 against Iowa State with 14 kills and 13 digs, while adding four blocks
• Added a match-high 14 kills, four blocks and a career-high four aces in the Sept. 17 win over St. Thomas
• Earns her first career Player of the Week honor
• Last Minnesota Player of the Week: Stephanie Samedy (Sept. 13, 2021)
Defensive Player of the Week
Kylie Murr, Ohio State
Jr. – L – Yorktown, Ind. – Yorktown – Major: Sport Industry
• Anchored the Buckeyes’ defense with 5.38 digs per set last weekend as No. 3 Ohio State swept a home-and-home series against Notre Dame
• Recorded a season-high 24 digs in Sunday’s five-set win and added 19 digs in the Sept. 17 series opener, helping the Buckeyes remain one of three unbeaten Big Ten teams this season
• Chosen for Academic All-Big Ten honors last season
• Garners her second career Defensive Player of the Week accolade
• Last Ohio State Defensive Player of the Week: Rylee Rader (March 1, 2021)
Setter of the Week
Diana Brown, Illinois
Jr. – S – Columbus, Ohio – St. Francis DeSales – Major: Molecular & Cellular Biology
• Named MVP at the Illinois State Redbird Classic after pacing Illinois to a trio of sweeps against Missouri, ISU and North Texas last weekend
• Averaged 11.44 assists and 1.89 digs per set while guiding the Fighting Illini to a .319 team hitting percentage for the tournament
• A two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten selection (2019, 2020)
• Collects her first career Setter of the Week plaudit
• Last Illinois Setter of the Week: Jordyn Poulter (Oct. 29, 2018)
Freshman of the Week
Sarah Franklin, Michigan State
OH – Lake Worth, Fla. – Lake Worth Christian – Major: Civil Engineering
• Tallied 4.20 kills, 2.10 digs and 0.60 blocks per set with a .320 hitting percentage to help the Spartans to three wins in as many tries at their Green & White Classic last weekend
• Posted her second double-double of the season on Sept. 18 vs. Central Michigan with a career-high 21 kills and 10 digs
• Narrowly missed another double-double in the Sept. 17 win over Oakland with a (then) season-best 13 kills and nine digs
• Receives the second Freshman of the Week award of her career
• Last Michigan State Freshman of the Week: Sarah Franklin (Feb. 15, 2021)
Co-Freshman of the Week
Julia Orzol, Wisconsin
OH – Olsztyn, Poland – Liceum Ogolnoksztalcace Mistrzostwa Sportowego – Intended Major: Business
• Averaged 3.67 kills, 2.67 digs, 0.67 blocks and 0.67 aces last week as the second-ranked Badgers remained undefeated with sweeps of Green Bay and Northern Illinois
• Registered a career-high 14 kills in the Sept. 17 win over Green Bay
• Challenged for a double-double on Sept. 18 at NIU, finishing with eight kills and nine digs, while tying her career bests with three blocks and three aces
• Earns her first career Freshman of the Week honor
• Last Wisconsin Freshman of the Week: Jade Demps (Feb. 22, 2021)
2021 Big Ten Players of the Week
Aug. 30
P: Dana Rettke, Grad., WIS
D: Hannah Grant, So., MICH
S: Sydney Hilley, Grad., WIS
F: Lexi Rodriguez, NEB
F: Arica Davis, OSU
Sept. 6
P: Jonni Parker, Sr., PSU
D: Kayla Caffey, Sr., NEB
S: Hayley Bush, Grad., PUR
F: Milan Gomillion, MD
F: Arica Davis, OSU
Sept. 13
P: Stephanie Samedy, Sr., MINN
D: CC McGraw, Grad., MINN
S: Sydney Hilley, Grad., WIS
F: Milan Gomillion, MD
Sept. 20
P: Jenna Wenaas, So., MINN
D: Kylie Murr, Jr., OSU
S: Diana Brown, Jr., ILL
F: Sarah Franklin, MSU
F: Julia Orzol, WIS
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