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 Nov. 16-22. ARIZONA’s Nikki Attea was voted the Conference’s Offensive Player of the Week, WASHINGTON’s Lianna Sybeldon was tabbed the Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season and USC's Baylee Johnson was selected Freshman of the Week.
PAC-12 OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: NIKKI ATTEA, ARIZONA (SR, OH, East Amherst, N.Y.)
Nikki Attea earned Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week honors for the first time in her career. The senior led the team with a career-high 23 kills on .315 hitting in the match against then-No. 11 UCLA. Attea chipped in five digs and four blocks as well to help her team earn the upset victory, 3-2. She was unable to play in the Wildcats 3-1 loss to No. 1 USC due to injury. It is Arizona's 37th all-time weekly accolade.
Also Nominated: Alexis Austin, COLO; Lindsey Vander Weide, ORE; Mary-Kate Marshall, OSU; Jordan Anderson, UCLA; Samantha Bricio, USC; Lianna Sybeldon, WASH; Kyra Holt, WSU.
PAC-12 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: LIANNA SYBELDON, WASHINGTON (SR, MB, Folsom, Calif.)
For the second time this season, Lianna Sybeldon has earned Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week accolades. It is the fourth-straight week the defensive weekly honor has gone to a Husky. In the wins against Oregon and Oregon State, Sybeldon averaged 2.29 kills per set on .394 hitting, 2.71 blocks and 3.79 points per set. In the 3-0 victory over the Beavers, Sybeldon posted six kills and seven total blocks. She then recorded 10 kills, two digs and a career-high 12 total blocks in Washington's 3-0 win against the Ducks. Sybeldon currently leads the nation in hitting percentage at .479 has helped the Husky defense to a No. 8 ranking in opponent hitting percentage at .149. This is her fifth-career weekly accolade and third this season (offensive - Oct. 12, defensive - Sept. 14). For Washington, it is the seventh defensive honor this season and 18th all-time.
Also Nominated: Laura Larson, ARIZ; Cierra Simpson, COLO; Amanda Benson, ORE; Kayla Ellis, OSU; Merete Lutz, STAN; Taylor Formico, UCLA; Taylor Whittingham, USC; Claire Martin, WSU.
PAC-12 FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK: BAYLEE JOHNSON, USC (FR, S, Dayton, Ohio)
Baylee Johnson is the first USC Trojan to earn freshman weekly honors this season, averaging 6.78 assists, 2.22 digs, 0.78 blocks and 1.28 points per set in USC's two wins over then-No. 23 Arizona and then-No. 24 Arizona State. The Trojans beat the Wildcats 3-1 with Johnson adding three kills, 26 assists, eight digs and four total blocks. She followed up that performance with four kills, 35 assists, 12 digs and three total blocks in the 3-2 victory over the Sun Devils. USC now has 13 all-time freshman weekly honorees.
Also Nominated: Tyler Spriggs, ARIZ; Naghede Abu, COLO; Lindsey Vander Weide, ORE; Lanesha Reagan, OSU; Hayley Hodson, STAN; Zana Muno, UCLA; Berkeley Oblad, UTAH; Destiny Julye, WASH; Ella Lajos, WSU.
Weekly awards have been selected every week of the season since the Conference began sponsoring women’s volleyball in 1986. The Pac-12 has announced an offensive, defensive and freshman weekly honoree since 2011. Freshman of the week honors are not included in the all-time totals for each institution.
2015 PAC-12 WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK