PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s weekly volleyball honors for the week ending on Nov. 5.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Abbie Lehman * Sr. * MB * Wichita State21
Lehman has earned an American weekly honor for three consecutive weeks, as the senior middle blocker continues to shine at the net. Lehman averaged a .600 hitting percentage through six perfect sets to guide Wichita State
21 to its 14th straight win and keep the Shockers ahead of the pack. She put down 12 kills and hit .632 to boost her team’s .494 hitting percentage in a 3-0 win over UConn on Friday. The top of the conference collided on Sunday, as Wichita State swept Temple. Lehman connected on another 15 kills with no errors for a .577 hitting percentage and added three blocks. She averaged 5.00 points and 4.50 kills per set in the Shockers’ two sweeps.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Montana Watts * So. * L * SMU
SMU also had a 2-0 weekend, as Watts recorded 51 digs through eight sets to average 6.38 digs per set. She had just one reception error on 33 attempts. Watts led the Mustangs’ back row with a career-high 38 digs in a five-set win over Houston on Friday. She ended the weekend with a 13-dig performance against Tulane on Sunday, holding the Green Wave to a .087 hitting percentage. Watts averaged 25.5 digs per match through the two wins, as SMU has won four in a row and are locked in second place in The American with a 12-2 record.
WEEKLY HONOR ROLL
Lael Ceriani * Sr. * OH * ECU
Ceriani had a strong offensive outing through ECU’s 3-0 week, averaging 4.18 kills per set and a .337 hitting percentage with 4.64 digs per set. She tallied 11 kills and a .476 hitting percentage in the 3-0 road victory over N.C. Central and pounded down 19 kills, three blocks and hit .359 in the 3-1 win over USF. She finished the week with 16 kills in a four-set triumph over UCF, as ECU claimed the sole fourth place spot in league standings.
Brianna Kadiku * So. * MB * Memphis
Memphis took down the second place team in The American when it outlasted Temple through a five-set thriller. Kadiku had a big role at the net in the win, knocking down 14 kills with no errors on 24 swings for a .583 hitting percentage, while adding four blocks. She ended the weekend with a nine-kill, eight-block performance in a second five set match against UConn. She hit .432 through the Tigers’ two contests.
Brittany Adams * Jr. * OH * SMU
Adams was a duel threat against Houston on Friday, as she collected 23 kills and 21 digs for her ninth double-double of the year. She finished the weekend with averages of 3.75 kills, 4.50 points and 3.62 digs per set.
Emily Thorson * Jr. * OH * Tulsa
Thorson had two double-doubles, averaging 4.56 kills, 4.72 points and 3.22 digs per set in Tulsa’s two wins over the weekend. She notched 19 kills and 12 digs in the five-set win over Tulane and delivered 22 kills and bumped 17 more digs in the 3-1 win over Houston. Tulsa is even at 7-7 in conference play.
Emily Hiebert * Sr. * S * Wichita State21
Hiebert saw an all-around strong performance over the weekend in Wichita State’s two victories. The senior setter averaged 11.33 assists per set with 30 against UConn and 38 versus Temple. On Friday, she recorded six kills with no errors for a .750 hitting percentage against the Huskies. In the back row, she bumped 21 digs through six sets for 3.50 digs per set. Assisting on 68 points, her team averaged a .395 hitting percentage.