PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s final 2017 weekly volleyball honors for the week ending on Nov. 26.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Kristina Fisher * Fr. * OH * UCF
Fisher earns her second straight Offensive Player of the Week honor after averaging 4.83 kills per set with a .417 hitting percentage, as UCF enjoyed another 2-0 week. The Knights posted two sweeps over USF to close-out their regular season on a six-match winning streak and move into the top-5 in conference standings. She hit .371 with 15 kills on Wednesday and had another 14 kills with a .480 hitting percentage on Saturday.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Taylor Horsfall * So. * L * Tulsa
Horsfall set an American Athletic Conference record with 755 digs this season, while helping her team to a 3-0 win over second-place SMU on Friday. She registered 18 digs without a reception error on 19 attempts in the victory, as the Golden Hurricane held the Mustangs to hitting .121. On Wednesday she bumped 24 digs to average 6.00 digs per set throughout the week. Horsfall’s 755 digs are ranked second in the nation, while her 6.04 digs per set this year are ranked sixth in the nation.
WEEKLY HONOR ROLL
Natalie Montini * Sr. * MH * ECU
Montini and the Pirates took down Cincinnati twice to take the sole fourth place spot to wrap up the regular season. Montini was force at the net on Wednesday, knocking down 19 kills and seven blocks with a .342 hitting percentage. She hit .400 on Friday with eight kills and seven blocks, averaging 3.38 kills and 1.25 blocks per set through the week.
Katie Karbo * So. * DS/L * Houston
Karbo guided Houston to two wins over Tulane last week to finish its 2017 campaign on a high note. She averaged 22.5 digs per match with 23 on Wednesday and 22 on Friday. She contributed to the offense with at least eight assists and one service ace in each win.
Izzy Rapacz * Sr. * RS/OH * Temple
Rapacz averaged a double-double of 15 kills and 14 digs through two wins against UConn last week, as the Owls prepare for their first postseason in 15 years. Rapacz put down 11 kills on 16 attempts with just one error for a .625 hitting percentage on Wednesday. On Friday she had 19 kills, 18 digs and six blocks to help pace her team to a 3-2 win. She hit .319 through eight sets during the week.
Emily Thorson * Jr. * OH * Tulsa
Thorson recorded a pair of double-doubles against SMU last week, posting 20 kills and 13 digs on Wednesday and 18 kills and 17 digs on Friday. She averaged 6.14 points, 5.43 kills and 4.29 digs per set.
Abbie Lehman * Sr. * MB * Wichita State20
Lehman was flawless at the net through two sweeps over Memphis. In six sets she recorded 27 kills on 38 swings for a .711 hitting percentage. She also had nine blocks, average 1.50 stuffs per set. Lehman and the Shockers have won 27 consecutive sets, as they prepare to make their 11th NCAA Tournament appearance.