PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s weekly volleyball honors for the week ending Oct. 4.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Cailin Bula • Sr. • OH • SMU
Bula led SMU with 4.14 kills per set with a .397 hitting percentage to propel the Mustangs to a 2-0 week. The Austin, Texas product recorded 20 kills on .362 hitting in a four set win against Tulsa. She also added six digs and three block assists in the win. Bula registered nine kills with a .500 hitting percentage to boost SMU past East Carolina in straight sets. On the year, the senior is second on the team with 2.84 kills per set and holds one of the Mustang’s top hitting percentages at .292 percent. SMU is currently tied for second place in the conference standings at 3-1.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Morgan Heise • Jr. • L • SMU
Heise served as the catalyst for the SMU defense as she averaged 6.71 digs per set and was perfect in 25 serve-receive opportunities. The junior libero produced a pair of 20-plus dig performances with 21 digs against Tulsa and 26 digs versus East Carolina. Heise ranks amongst the nation’s leaders in the digs per set with a 5.71 average in 59 sets this season.
WEEKLY HONOR ROLL
Jade Strawberry • Jr. • OH • UConn
Produced a pair of double-doubles with 14 kills and 13 digs in a five set win over Cincinnati, and 14 kills and 27 digs against Memphis.
Olivia O’Dell • Sr. • L/DS • Houston
Generated a 6.00 dig per set average in a 2-0 week for the Cougars. She generated a 37-dig performance in a 3-2 road win against USF and added 23 digs versus UCF.
Elyse Panick • Jr. • RS • USF
Powered the Bulls to a five set victory against Tulane with 18 kills and a .630 hitting percentage to go with nine digs. She also contributed 18 digs and six kills versus Houston.
Irem Asci • So. • OH • Temple
Led the Owls to a 2-0 week with 4.00 kills per set with a .386 hitting percentage and 4.14 digs per set. She recorded 25 kills (.373 percent) and 19 digs in a win over Cincinnati.
Ashley Hooper • Sr. • MB • Tulsa
Tallied 16 kills on .429 hitting with two block solos and three block assists against SMU, and contributed 17 kills (.536) with five digs, one block solo and a trio of block assists in a win over East Carolina.