Pac-12 announces volleyball players of the week
SAN FRANCISCO - The Pac-12 Conference office announced today the Pac-12 Volleyball Players of the Week for the week of Sept. 7-13. USC’s Samantha Bricio was voted the Conference’s Offensive Player of the Week for a third-consecutive week, while WASHINGTON’s Lianna Sybeldon was selected the Defensive Player of the Week, and UCLA’s Zana Muno is the Freshman of the Week.
PAC-12 OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: SAMANTHA BRICIO, USC (SR, OH, Guadalajara, Mexico)
Samantha Bricio is the first player since 2001 and only the second all-time to earn Conference weekly honors three-consecutive weeks in the same season. She joins Pac-12 legend and Stanford standout Logan Tom as the only other player to achieve that feat, closing out the final weeks of the 2001 campaign as the Conference’s Player of the Week. The psychology major led the Trojans to four-consecutive wins and a 10-0 overall record. She had a strong all-around performance, averaging 7.17 points, 5.58 kills and 1.17 aces per set, while hitting .404. She also added 1.75 digs and 0.67 blocks per set en route to being named the USC Classic Tournament Most Valuable Player. She opened the weekend with a school-record tying eight aces and tallied at least 17 kills in three of the four matches, closing out the weekend with an impressive .487 hitting percentage against New Mexico in the final match of the weekend. It is the sixth-career weekly recognition for Bricio and USC’s 62nd all-time.
Also Nominated: Kalei Mau, ARIZ; Macey Gardner, ASU; Christine Alftin, CAL; Alexis Austin, COLO; Martenne Bettendorf, ORE; Mary-Kate Marshall, OSU; Brittany Howard, STAN; Jordan Anderson, UCLA; Courtney Schwan, WASH; Kyra Holt WSU.
PAC-12 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: LIANNA SYBELDON, WASH (SR, MB, Folsom, Calif.)
Lianna Sybeldon helped the then eighth-ranked Huskies improve to 8-0 with three three-set wins last week. The senior middle blocker averaged 1.89 blocks per set, helping the UW defense hold its opponents to a combined .054 attack percentage. She also contributed offensively, the sociology major had 2.33 kills per set with a .500 hitting percentage, while averaging 3.33 points per set. It is the third-career weekly honor for Sybeldon and 50th all-time for UW, who is ranked seventh in the nation this week. It is also a Conference-leading 12th time a Husky has earned defensive weekly nods.
Also Nominated: Mackenzie Kleespies, ARIZ; Cierra Simpson, COLO; Amanda Benson, ORE; Kayla Ellis, OSU; Halland McKenna, STAN; Taylor Formico, UCLA; Alicia Ogoms, USC; Adora Anae, UTAH; Kate Sommer, WSU.
PAC-12 FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK: ZANA MUNO, UCLA (FR, S, Hermosa Beach, Calif.)
Zana Muno led the then-No. 25 Bruins to a pair of victories last week, averaging 11.57 assists, including 47 assists in the 3-1 upset win over then-No. 18 San Diego. A psychology major, she also had 34 assists and 10 digs against Santa Barbara for her fourth double-double in her last five matches. Under her direction, the Bruin offense hit .268 over the two matches, including .289 against USD. Muno is only the second Bruin to be named the Conference’s freshman of the week since the honor was instated in 2011.
Also Nominated: Tyler Spriggs, ARIZ; Naghede Abu, COLO; Lauren Page, ORE; Cory, Cheshire, OSU; Hayley Hodson, STAN; Alyse Ford, USC; Destiny Julye, WASH.