Minnesota, Purdue and Wisconsin Capture Big Ten Weekly Volleyball Awards
Gophers’ Samedy, Boilermakers’ Otec and Badgers’ Hilley and OrzoÅ‚ earn this week’s conference’s accolades
Player of the Week
Stephanie Samedy, Minnesota
Grad. – OPP – Clermont, Fla. – East Ridge – Major: Psychology
• Tied her career high with 31 kills, along with 20 digs and four blocks in Minnesota’s five-set loss to No. 5 Wisconsin on Sunday
• Posted her third career 30-kill match (all this season) and recorded her third 20-kill/20-dig match this season
• Selected as an Academic All-Big Ten and Senior CLASS Award recipient in 2020
• Earns her 13th career Player of the Week honor (the second-most in Big Ten history behind Ohio State’s Stacey Gordon, who had 16 honors from 2001-04)
• Ties a Big Ten record with her fifth Player of the Week award this season, matching the marks set by Gordon in 2005, Purdue’s Ariel Turner in 2011 and Penn State’s Haleigh Washington in 2017.
• Also has one Defensive Player of the Week citation this year, with her six combined awards in one season tied for third in Big Ten history — Wisconsin’s Dana Rettke received 11 awards (nine Freshman of the Week, two Player of the Week) in 2017, Minnesota’s Samantha Seliger-Swenson was a seven-time Big Ten Setter of the Week in 2018 (and a six-time Freshman of the Week in 2015), while Penn State’s Micha Hancock earned the Setter of the Week award six times in 2012.
• Last Minnesota Player of the Week: Stephanie Samedy (Nov. 8, 2021)
Defensive Player of the Week
Jena Otec, Purdue
Grad. – L – Crystal City, Mo. – St. Pius X – Graduate Major: Technology, Leadership & Innovation
• Averaged 5.63 digs per set last week in helping Purdue capture wins over Michigan and Northwestern
• Recorded a career-high 33 digs on Nov. 19 against Michigan, tying for the most by a Big Ten player this season and the most by a Boilermaker in more than 12 years (39 by Blair Bashen at Baylor on Sept. 5, 2009)
• Earned Academic All-Big Ten accolades last year
• Receives the third Defensive Player of the Week award of her career and second this season
• Last Purdue Defensive Player of the Week: Raven Colvin (Nov. 1, 2021)
Setter of the Week
Sydney Hilley, Wisconsin
Grad. – S – Brooklyn Park, Minn. – Champlin Park – Graduate Major: Applied Biotechnology
• Dished out 13.11 assists per set, while adding 3.00 digs and 0.89 blocks per set and two double-doubles in the Badgers’ wins over Michigan State and at No. 9 Minnesota
• Has recorded four consecutive double-doubles, 10 this season and 47 in her career, including 65 assists and 16 digs in Sunday’s win at Minnesota
• Twice named first-team Academic All-America (2019, 2020)
• A three-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten selection (2018, 2019, 2020)
• Secures her 17th career Setter of the Week citation (second-most in conference history and one shy of the Big Ten career record of 18 by Minnesota’s Samantha Seliger-Swenson from 2015-18), and fifth this year (tied for third-most in one season in conference history — most since 2018 when Seliger-Swenson had seven Setter of the Week honors and Illinois’ Jordyn Poulter was a five-time selection)
• Last Wisconsin Setter of the Week: Sydney Hilley (Oct. 25, 2021)
Freshman of the Week
Julia Orzoł, Wisconsin
OH – Olsztyn, Poland – Liceum Ogolnoksztalcace Mistrzostwa Sportowego – Intended Major: Business
• Averaged 3.22 kills and 2.67 digs per set with two double-doubles in Wisconsin’s victories over Michigan State and No. 9 Minnesota last week
• Collected 14 kills and a career-high 14 digs in Sunday’s win at Minnesota
• Has posted three consecutive double-doubles and six this season
• Garners her third career Freshman of the Week award, having also been named a Player of the Week once this season
• Last Wisconsin Freshman of the Week: Julia OrzoÅ‚ (Oct. 4, 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, Grad., 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 Orzoł, WIS
Sept. 27
P: Stephanie Samedy, Grad., MINN
D: Rainelle Jones, Sr., MD
D: Jael Johnson, Sr., PUR
S: Gabby Blossom, Sr., PSU
F: Lindsay Krause, NEB
Oct. 4
P: Julia Orzoł, Fr., WIS
D: Lauren Barnes, Grad., WIS
S: Sydney Hilley, Grad, WIS
F: Julia Orzoł, WIS
Oct. 11
P: Madi Kubik, Jr., NEB
P: Emily Londot, So., OSU
D: Rainelle Jones, Sr., MD
D: Stephanie Samedy, Grad., MINN
S: Nicklin Hames, Sr., NEB
F: Lexi Rodriguez, NEB
Oct. 18
P: Madi Kubik, Jr., NEB
D: Jena Otec, Grad., PUR
S: Mac Podraza, Jr., OSU
S: Gabby Blossom, Sr., PSU
F: Arica Davis, OSU
Oct. 25
P: Dana Rettke, Grad., WIS
D: Lexi Rodriguez, Fr., NEB
S: Nicklin Hames, Sr., NEB
S: Sydney Hilley, Grad., WIS
F: Lexi Rodriguez, NEB
Nov. 1
P: Stephanie Samedy, Grad., MINN
D: Raven Colvin, Fr., PUR
S: Mac Podraza, Jr., OSU
S: Hayley Bush, Grad., PUR
F: Raven Colvin, PUR
Nov. 8
P: Stephanie Samedy, Grad., MINN
D: Jenna Hampton, Sr., PSU
S: Gabby Blossom, Sr., PSU
F: Julia Bishop, MSU
Nov. 15
P: Caitlyn Newton, Grad., PUR
D: Lexi Rodriguez, Fr., NEB
S: Gabby Blossom, Sr., PSU
F: Raven Colvin, PUR
Nov. 22
P: Stephanie Samedy, Grad., MINN
D: Jena Otec, Grad., PUR
S: Sydney Hilley, Grad, WIS
F: Julia Orzoł, WIS
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