Mann, Podlesh, and James Named Volleyball Weekly Award Winners
MAAC Sports
MAAC Offensive Player of the Week
KATIE MANN,
FAIRFIELD
MH, Jr., 5-11, Del
Mar, CA/Torrey Pines
Mann led the Stags offense once again, averaging 3.42
kills on .358 hitting, while also posting 1.08 blocks and 0.50 aces for 4.58
points per set in all 12 frames this week. Against Fordham, Mann tallied 17
kills and four blocks on the night. Against Canisius, she tallied eight kills
and two blocks in the three-set match. In the Stags 3-1 win at Niagara, Mann
recorded 16 kills, a season-high seven total blocks, six digs, and four aces.
On the season, Mann, who has not missed a single set, is averaging 2.68 kills
on .314 hitting along with 0.80 blocks and 0.37 aces.
MAAC Defensive Player of the Week
SARAH PODLESH,
CANISIUS
L, Sr., 5-7,
Pittsford, NY/Pittsford/Sutherland
Podlesh averaged 5.00 digs
per set in the Golden Griffins’ two victories last week. The Griffs’ libero had
20 digs in the team’s 3-0 sweep of Saint Peter’s on Sunday. On the weekend,
Podlesh was perfect in service reception, not committing an error in 25
reception attempts.
MAAC Rookie of the Week
MICHELLE
JAMES, NIAGARA
S, Fr., 5-9,
Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother of Mercy
James had the best weekend of
her young career, narrowly missing a pair of triple-doubles in a 1-1 weekend for
Niagara. The freshman setter propelled the Purple Eagles to a victory over
Saint Peter’s on Saturday with 54 assists, 18 digs and eight kills while
attacking at a .533 clip without an attack error. On Sunday, James finished
with 44 assists, 18 digs, a career-high nine kills and a career-high five
service aces in a four-set loss to Fairfield. The rookie setter averaged 10.89
assists and 4.00 digs on the weekend. Her 98 assists helped her become just the
third Purple Eagle ever to surpass the 1,000-assist barrier in a single season,
as her 1,021 assists rank second all-time with three matches to play.