INDIANAPOLIS - Heading into the last week of the regular season, Trevecca Nazarene and No. 7 Walsh earn Great Midwest Volleyball Player of the Week honors, announced Monday afternoon.
Both teams earn weekly honors for the first time this season after Trevecca went 3-1, beating Malone, Lake Erie and Ursuline. Walsh swept both Trevecca and Malone this week.
In last week’s AVCA Poll, Hillsdale remained at the top of the poll, while Walsh moved up to No. 7, Findlay moved up to No. 12 and Cedarville made the list for the first time. Ohio Dominican and Tiffin are both listed in the ‘receiving votes’ category.
Seven teams have clinched a spot in the eight-team bracket of the Great Midwest Volleyball Championship tournament, set for March 9; 12-13. Based on winning percentage, Hillsdale, Walsh, Findlay, Cedarville, Tiffin, Ohio Dominican and Trevecca will all make post-season appearances. The eighth spot is still up for grabs, with Ursuline, Malone and Kentucky Wesleyan fighting for a shot at qualifying for the tournament.
Offensive Player of the Week
Austyn Baldwin
Trevecca Nazarene
Middle blocker
Junior
Kingston Springs, TN (Harpeth HS)
Trevecca traveled to Canton, Ohio early last week to play back-to-back matches against Walsh and Malone. After falling to Walsh (0-3), the Trojans defeated Malone (3-1) later that day.
Against Walsh, Baldwin hit .417 with five kills and no errors on 12 attacks. She also added three digs and two blocks. In the four-set win over Malone, Baldwin had 12 kills with a hitting percentage of .440. She also contributed three blocks.
The Trojans then swept both Lake Erie and Ursuline later in the week to secure their spot in the post-season tournament. Against Lake Erie, Baldwin had seven kills and hit .333, while adding four blocks. Against Ursuline, the junior hit .438 with seven kills and no errors.
For the week, Baldwin averaged 2.38 kills per set with a .412 hitting percentage. Through four matches, she tallied 11 blocks (.85 bps).
Baldwin is currently the league leader in hitting percentage at .408.
This is the first time in Baldwin’s career that she has earned conference weekly honors.
Defensive Player of the Week
Amber King
Walsh
Middle blocker
Junior
Broadview Heights, OH (Brecksville-Broadview Heights HS)
The No. 7 Cavaliers have won six straight matches, not losing a single set in any of those matches. A large part of Walsh’s success this season comes from middle blocker, Amber King, who averaged 1.5 blocks per set this week.
In the win over Trevecca, King contributed a match-best five blocks, while adding six kills. Against Malone, the junior had four more blocks, to go along with two digs and six kills.
King ranks third among league competitors in blocks, with 28 on the season, averaging 1.04 per set.
This is the first time King has earned conference Player of the Week honors.