PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s weekly volleyball honors for the week ending Sunday, Sept. 22.
Offensive Player of the Week
Jordan Thompson * R-Sr. * RS/OH * Cincinnati
Thompson enjoyed the best offensive week in the conference thus far in 2019 during a 2-1 Cincinnati showing, leading all American Athletic Conference players with 84 kills and 7.64 kills per set last week. Thompson kicked off the Queen City Classic with 22 kills and 11 digs in a sweep of rival Xavier. She contributed 21 kills and 10 digs for a double-double to help complete the sweep of Bowling Green to close the Queen City Classic. Thompson was a force to cap the weekend against No. 25 Louisville, posting a conference season-high 41 kills along with nine digs against the Cardinals in a five-set thriller. Through 12 matches this season, Thompson leads The American with 264 kills, 5.87 kills per set and 292.5 points. Her total kills and total points numbers pace NCAA Division I volleyball as of Sept. 22.
Defensive Player of the Week
Katie Karbo * Sr. * DS/L * Houston
Karbo put together a dynamic defensive week for Houston, logging 107 digs and 5.94 digs per set across four matches. She became the third player in program history to surpass 2,000 career digs, registering the milestone during a contest with UTEP at the Red Raider Classic in Lubbock, Texas. Karbo opened the week with 31 digs versus Houston Baptist before adding 20 digs against host Texas Tech and 21 digs against UTEP in showdowns at the Red Raider Classic. The Cougars closed the tournament with a five-set victory against Incarnate Word, a match that saw Karbo turn in an American Athletic Conference season-high 35 digs in the win. Through her first 15 starts of 2019, Karbo leads The American with 328 total digs and 5.47 digs per set.
Weekly Honor Roll
Brandee Markwith * R-Jr. * DS/L * East Carolina
Averaged 5.08 digs per set (66 total digs) and added 16 assists in a 3-0 week for East Carolina; posted 23 digs against NC Central, 12 digs against Gardner-Webb and a match-high 31 digs in a five-set win versus Alabama A&M
Hannah Flowers * Jr. * RS * Memphis
Posted double-digit kills in all three matches and hit an even .400 as a member of the Beale Street Challenge All-Tournament Team; finished with 18 kills against North Alabama, 13 kills versus Toledo and 11 kills against Southeast Missouri State
Lily Heim * So. * S * SMU
Recorded a team-high 85 assists (12.14 assists per match) and added 22 digs over two contests; recorded 38 assists in a sweep of TCU and added 47 helpers (fifth 40-assist match of the season) and 16 digs in four sets at Oklahoma
Kayla Dinkins * So. * MH * Tulane
Averaged 2.12 blocks per set and added 21 total kills in a pair of wins for the week; logged 10 block assists against Southern Mississippi to establish a career high and added six block assists and a solo block in a win at LSU
Jac’cara Walker * Sr. * OH * USF
Led USF with 56 kills and 3.29 kills per set and added 51 digs as part of four straight double-doubles; logged 16 kills and 14 digs against Jacksonville, 13 kills and 10 digs and 16 kills and 15 digs in two matches with No. RV Indiana and 11 kills and 12 digs in a sweep of Stetson to close the week