USC sweeps Pac-12 volleyball player of the week honors

By the Pac-12 Conference

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- The Pac-12 Conference office announced today the Pac-12 Volleyball Players of the Week for the week of Oct. 1-7. USC's Samantha Bricio was voted the Conference's Offensive Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week, while teammate Natalie Hagglund was selected the Defensive Player of the Week.

Freshman OH Samantha Bricio (Guadalajara, Mexico) and junior L Natalie Hagglund (Encinitas, Calif.) led the then-fifth ranked Trojans to home wins over Arizona (3-0) and Arizona State (3-1) over the weekend. Bricio's attack stifled both defenses, averaging 6.86 points and 6.57 kills per set over the two matches, including posting back-to-back 20-kill outings. Hagglund has been USC's defensive stalwart since arriving on campus as a freshman in 2010. The 2011 Pac-12 Libero of the Year, she averaged 7.00 digs per set in the two matches.

Against the Wildcats, Bricio posted a hitting percentage of .475, well above the team's hitting efficiency of .282, tallying a then-career best 22 kills on 40 attempts with just three errors. She also added 11 digs in the win. Bricio bested herself against the Sun Devils two nights later, achieving career highs in kills (24) and digs (16) for her fifth double-double of the season. She was the most efficient hitter on the team again that night, attacking at a .317 clip, while the team hit .196. Hagglund complimented Bricio's offensive outburst, logging 32 digs, a season high for Pac-12 players this season.

Bricio becomes the first-ever freshman to claim the offensive and freshman weekly awards in the same week. She is also the first freshman since CALIFORNIA's Hana Cutura in 2009 to win a non-freshman weekly nod. 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.

It is the first-career offensive weekly nod for Bricio, who has also been selected the freshman honoree three times this year, including this week's selection. Hagglund earns the defensive nod for the first time in her career. It is USC's 50th and 51st all-time weekly selection.

USC travels to take on STANFORD on Wednesday, Oct. 10 for another top-10 clash on the Pac-12 Networks. It is one of nine matches to be televised this week. The Trojans will wrap up its Bay Area tour with Cal on Friday, Oct. 12.

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

Also Nominated:
OFFENSIVE: Taylor Arizobal, ARIZ; Erica Wilson, ASU; Shannon Hawari, CAL; Alexis Austin, COLO; Liz Brenner, ORE; Carly Wopat, STAN; Tabi Love, UCLA; Morgan Odale, UTAH; Krista Vansant, WASH.

DEFENSIVE: Candace Nicholson, ARIZ; Stephanie Preach, ASU; Shannon Hawari, CAL; Haley Jacob, ORE; Kyle Gilbert, STAN; Zoë Nightingale, UCLA; Kylin Muñoz, WASH.

FRESHMAN: Halli Amaro, ARIZ; Macey, Gardner, ASU; Lara Vukasovic, CAL; Alexis Austin, COLO; Canace Finley, ORE; Inky Ajanaku, STAN; Cassie Strickland, WASH.