Mid-American Conference

MAC East Offensive Player of the Week
Andrea Mitrovic, Buffalo, Outside Hitter
Sophomore – Mississauga, Ontario/Silverthorne Academy
Sophomore Andrea Mitrovic was named to the all-tournament team of the Arkansas Classic after she finished with 51 kills in the three matches, averaging 4.25 kills per set.  Her best match came in the five-set win over Butler as she tied her career high with 24 kills, while having just 10 errors on a career-high 71 total attempts. Mitrovic added 14 kills in just three sets against Arkansas and had 13 more kills against Northwestern.  She also finished with five aces from the service line as she had three against the Wildcats alone.  Defensively, she added 31 digs on the weekend.
 
MAC West Offensive Player of the Week
Jordan Smith, Eastern Michigan, Outside Hitter
Senior – Solon, Iowa/Solon
Jordan Smith was named the William & Mary Colonial Classic Most Valuable Player after averaging nearly 13 kills per set and hitting .397 over the three-match span. The senior’s .652 attack percentage against Norfolk State set a new career-best, and she’s now had double-digit kill games in eight of 11 matches on the season. Of all the records for the week, the highlight was the Solon, Iowa native becoming the 15th player in Eastern Michigan history to reach the 1,000-kill plateau. Overall, she finished with 53 kills and a .333 attack percentage over four matches, adding 19 digs, 10 aces, and three total blocks.
 
MAC East Defensive Player of the Week
Kristina Nieves, Buffalo, Middle Blocker
Junior – Ringwood, NJ/Passaic County Technical Institute
Junior middle blocker Kristina Nieves led the Bulls defensively this past weekend as she averaged 1.50 blocks per set during the 12 sets played by UB.  In the weekend opener against Big Ten foe Northwestern, Nieves recorded nine blocks, which was a new career high for her.  She added three blocks against Arkansas of the SEC and then had six blocks in UB’s five-set win over Butler, including two solo blocks.  Through just nine matches, Nieves already has 41 blocks on the year, averaging more than one per set.  Offensively, she hit .455 against the Razorbacks and had 11 kills in the win over Butler.
 
MAC West Defensive Player of the Week
Maurissa Leonard, Toledo, Libero
Senior – Oregon, Ohio/St. Ursula
Averaged 6.55 digs per set over the weekend, during which Toledo went 2-1 with wins over Duquesne and Manhattan…led team in service aces/set…Recorded 32 digs in the win over Duquesne; also tallied her first kill of the season…Had match-high dig totals in the matches against Morehead State and Duquesne…Entered this past weekend leading the country in digs per set.
 
MAC East Setter of the Week
Tia Gleason, Buffalo, Setter
Sophomore – North Bay, Ontario/North Bay
Sophomore setter Tia Gleason stepped in during the last two matches this past weekend and led the Bulls to a win with a career performance against Big East foe Butler. In the five-set win over the Bulldogs, Gleason dished out a career-high 53 assists, while adding 17 digs and a pair of service aces.  She also had two kills and two blocks.  Earlier on Saturday, the Memphis transfer finished with 28 assists and three blocks against Arkansas.
 
MAC West Setter of the Week
Mallory Rajewski, Eastern Michigan, Setter (R-Senior – Midland, Michigan/Midland)
Riley Taylor, Eastern Michigan, Setter (Junior – Indianapolis, Indiana/Perry Meridian)
Redshirt senior Mallory Rajewski and junior Riley Taylor executed the 6-2 to perfection over the course of the week, averaging 12.00 assists per set in four matches, culminating in a fantastic showing at the William and Mary Colonial Classic. The pair divvied out an outstanding 42 assists in a three-set sweep over tournament host, William and Mary. The pair also averaged over 10 assists per set in each of the Eagles’ three-set sweeps over Norfolk State and Savannah State. The duo has a strong season average of 11.80 assists per set and provide fantastic defense with a 5.11 average.

Other Nominees 
Kate Avila, Ball State, Libero
Junior – Yorktown, Indiana/Yorktown
Junior libero Kate Avila notched double-digit digs in all three matches at the Ball State Active Ankle Challenge to lead the Ball State defense with 54 digs and a 4.50 digs-per-set average. She also recorded a .943 (50-for-53) reception percentage on the weekend. With double-digit digs in all three matches last weekend, Avila has notched double-digit digs in 38 consecutive matches, and 67 times in her career. Avila also climbed two spots to seventh in program history with 1271 career digs. Her 4.56 career digs-per-set average is fourth on Ball State’s career charts, while her 67 matches with double-figure digs and 27 matches with 20-or-more digs are both fifth.
 
Grace Balensiefer, NIU, Setter
Freshman – Lafayette, Indiana/McCutcheon
Balensiefer averaged 7.33 assists per set and had two double-doubles at the Hampton Inn Bama Bash… Had 21 assists and 11 digs against Georgia Tech on Sept. 7… Recorded her third straight double-double with season-high 31 assists and 11 digs in sweep of Marshall on Sept. 7… Also had three kills and two blocks against Marshall.
 
Madeline Brandewie, Bowling Green, Middle
Senior – Columbus, Ohio/Bishop Hartley
Senior Madeline Brandewie was named to the All-Tournament Team in the CSU Invitational II. Brandewie played a pivotal role in the Falcons’ gritty comeback victory (5-2) against the Cleveland State Vikings. The middle hitter contributed 17 kills, 26 throughout the entire tournament, and ended the match with a .354 hitting percentage. 
 
Kate Carey, Western Michigan, Right Side Hitter
Junior – Bloomfield Township, Michigan/Seaholm
Last weekend at the Delta Hotel by Marriott Kalamazoo Conference Center Tournament, Carey led the Broncos with a staggering .352 attack percentage en route to a 3-1 record at the tournament. Carey earned double digit kills in three of the four contests including a 12-kill outing with an .550 attack percentage in a three-set victory over Milwaukee. Her 41 kills ranked second on the team while her .352 attack percentage ranked first among players with 30 or more attacks. Carey this season ranks second on WMU with 93 kills, averaging 2.38 per set. With a .278 attack percentage on the year, Carey ranks second on the Broncos. 
 
Ellie Dunn, Ball State, Outside Hitter
Senior – Sugar Grove, Illinois/Kaneland
Senior outside attacker Ellie Dunn was named to the Active Ankle Challenge All-Tournament Team after leading the Ball State offense with 53 kills for a 4.42 kills-per-set average over the two-day tournament. Dunn turned in a brilliant performance in the team’s win over North Dakota State, collecting 18 kills over three sets and hitting .368 (18-4-38). She followed with an even more impressive performance in a five-set loss to Indiana, blasting a season-high 21 kills to lead all players in the match. Dunn also turned in a solid effort on defense over the course of the tournament, registering 33 digs and seven total blocks. She recorded kill/dig double-doubles versus both NDSU and IU, the fifth and sixth double-doubles of her career.
 
Kathryn Ellison, Kent State, Outside Hitter
Freshman – Novi, Michigan/Novi
Kathryn Ellison was selected to the La Salle Invitational All-Tournament Team with averages of 3.27 kills per set and 4.09 digs per set over Kent State’s three matches at the tournament. The six-rotation outside hitter recorded a double-double in all four matches during the week, which included a career-high 23 digs in just three sets against La Salle and a career-high 14 kills against Robert Morris. Ellison added eight total blocks and helped limit opponents to a .165 hitting percentage.
 
Shelby Fulmer, Akron, Right Side
Sophomore – Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg
Shelby Fulmer was named to the Wake Forest Invitational All-Tournament team, as the Zips went 2-1 on the weekend. Over the course of three-matches, Fulmer posted 35 kills, averaging 2.92 kills per set and 3.00 points per set. Her weekend was highlighted by a career-high 17 kills to lead Akron in its five-set victory over Georgia Southern. Additionally, Fulmer recorded a second career high, hitting .455 (11-1-22) in the Zips 3-1 win over Elon. 
 
Vera Giacomazzi, Ohio, Setter
Sophomore – San Vendemiano, Italy/Liceo Scientifico G. Marconi
Sophomore setter Vera Giacomazzi (San Vendemiano, Italy) directed the attack for the Ohio volleyball team (4-6) last week, leading the way with 108 assists (6.35). Giacomazzi started off week three of the 2018 season by tallying a team-high 26 assists in Ohio’s 3-1 (21-25, 25-21, 20-25, 22-25) setback at Marshall last Wednesday (Sept. 5) at the Cam Henderson Center in Huntington, W. Va. She then achieved her first double-double of the season, totaling a team-high 32 assists to go along with 12 digs in a 3-2 (25-27, 24-26, 25-22, 27-25, 15-11) triumph over Samford on Friday (Sept. 7) in the opening match of the Bobcat Invitational presented by Texas Roadhouse at the Convocation Center. Later that evening, she dished out a team-high 24 assists in a 3-1 (24-26, 25-21, 25-21, 25-16) loss to Virginia Tech. She finished the weekend tournament strong on Saturday (Sept. 8), leading the match with 26 assists as Ohio knocked off IUPUI, 3-1 (25-15, 17-25, 25-17, 25-21), to clinch a share of the Bobcat Invitational title.
 
Miranda Karlen, NIU, Libero
Freshman – DeKalb, Illinois/DeKalb
Karlen led NIU with 4.22 digs per set at the Hampton Inn Bama Bash… Had 16 digs, five assists, and an ace against Georgia Tech on Sept. 7… Had 12 digs and two aces in NIU’s sweep of Marshall on Sept. 7.
 
Chloee Kleespies, Toledo, OH/MH
Sophomore – Lincoln University, PA/Avon Grove
Led the Rockets with 3.45 kills per set over the weekend, also averaged 0.64 blocks per set…Led Toledo in kills in the matches against Morehead State and Duquesne…Has tallied at least 14 kills five times this season…The Rockets’ most-utilized offensive weapon; she has 368 attack attempts, next-highest on the team is 239.
 
Simone Miller, Ohio, Middle Blocker
R-Junior – Kalamazoo, Michigan/Kalamazoo Central
Redshirt junior middle blocker Simone Miller (Kalamazoo, Mich.) led the Ohio volleyball team (4-6) with 21 total blocks (21 assisted; 1.24 per set) and ranked fourth on the squad with 25 kills (1.47 per set) and 37 points (2.21 per set). Miller opened week three of the 2018 season by matching her career high with seven assisted blocks in a 3-1 (25-21, 21-25, 25-20, 25-22) set back at Marshall last Wednesday (Sept. 5) at the Cam Henderson Center in Huntington, W. Va. She then put together a career performance in Ohio’s 3-2 (25-27, 24-26, 25-22, 27-25, 15-11) triumph over Samford in the opening match of the Bobcat Invitational presented by Texas Roadhouse last Friday (Sept. 7) at the Convocation Center, hitting .650 with a career-high 14 kills and tallying a career-high eight assisted blocks.
 
Mary Murphy, Western Michigan, Setter
Senior – Wilmington, Illinois/Joliet Catholic
The reigning MAC West Setter of the Week turned in another stellar week to guide the Broncos to a 3-1 record at the Delta Hotel by Marriott Kalamazoo Conference Center Tournament. Murphy recorded 134 assists, averaging 11.17 per set and ranked second on the team with six    blocks on the weekend.  In all four matches, Murphy had over 30 assists with a 37-assist performance in a three-set victory over Milwaukee on Friday. Murphy has now registered at least 30 assists in seven straight matches and is averaging 10.18 assists per set this season. Overall, Murphy has 211 assists in 11 matches, averaging 5.15 per set. Murphy ranks third in the MAC in assists per set and heading into the weekend was ranked 43rdin the NCAA in total assists. 
 
Lyza Myers, Central Michigan, Outside Hitter
Sophomore – Napoleon, Michigan/Columbia Central
Sophomore Lyza Myers was a standout for Central Michigan at the Sycamore Invitational in Terre Haute, Ind. last weekend. For the tournament, Myers hit a stellar .365, recording only seven errors against 30 kills. Myers highlighted an upset win over host Indiana State, as the Chippewas knocked off the Sycamores on their home court, 3-2. She tallied 16 kills against just one error for an outstanding .417 hitting percentage. She also registered nine digs and three service aces. Myers also shined against Green Bay in the tournament opener, hitting .385. For her efforts, Myers was named to the Sycamore Invitational All-Tournament Team. 
 
Katie Nelson, Ohio, Right Side
R-Senior – Regina, Saskatchewan/Michael Riffle
Redshirt senior right-side hitter Katie Nelson enjoyed a big offensive week for the Ohio volleyball team (4-6), hitting .312 and ranking second on the team in both kills (46; 2.71 per set) and blocks (17; two solo, 15 assisted; 1.00 per set). Nelson started off week three of the 2018 season by tallying five assisted blocks in Ohio’s 3-1 (21-25, 25-21, 20-25, 22-25) setback at Marshall last Wednesday (Sept. 5) at the Cam Henderson Center in Huntington, W. Va. She then posted double-digit kills in all three matches of the Bobcat Invitational presented by Texas Roadhouse at the Convocation Center over the weekend. Nelson racked up a team-high 16 kills and added seven total blocks (one solo, six assisted) in a 3-2 (25-27, 24-26, 25-22, 27-25, 15-11) triumph over Samford on Friday (Sept. 7). Later that evening, she hit .367 with 14 kills and chipped in two total blocks (one solo, one assisted) in a 3-1 (24-26, 25-21, 25-21, 25-16) loss to Virginia Tech. She finished the weekend tournament strong on Saturday (Sept. 8), hitting .391 with 11 kills and totaling three assisted blocks as Ohio knocked off IUPUI, 3-1 (25-15, 17-25, 25-17, 25-21), to clinch a share of the Bobcat Invitational title. 
 
Margaret Payne, Miami, Middle Hitter
Junior – Bloomfield Hills, Michigan/Cranbrook Kingswood
Payne used her strong blocking game to make an impact this week. She finished with 20 blocks (four solo and 16 assisted) in four matches, an impressive average of 1.43 blocks per set. That included seven blocks (two solo and five assisted) against Dayton on Tuesday, and eight blocks (two solo and eight assisted) against Western Kentucky on Saturday. She also recorded two blocks in win over Chattanooga and three blocks against Notre Dame. Payne had 21 kills for the week and scored 33.0 points for Miami, an average of 2.36 points per set.
 
Kathleen Reilly, Western Michigan, DS/Libero
Junior – Overland Park, Kansas/St. James Academy
Reilly was instrumental for the Bronco defense over the weekend at the Delta Hotel by Marriott Kalamazoo Conference Center Tournament, guiding the Broncos to a 3-1 record at the tournament. Reilly led the Broncos in all four matches in digs and totaled 71 for the tournament to be named to the All-Tournament team. Reilly averaged 5.07 digs per set and has eclipsed double digit digs in every match this season. In the five-set victory over Utah State on Saturday night, Reilly led the way with 18 digs to go along with a career-high five service aces. On the weekend, Reilly registered six service aces. On the season, Reilly leads the team with 211 digs, averaging 5.15 digs per set. Reilly ranks 25thin the NCAA in total digs and 39thin the NCAA in digs per set. 
 
Amber Seaman, Ball State, Setter
Junior – Carmel, Indiana/Brebeuf
Junior setter Amber Seaman helped guide the Ball State offense to a .229 (153-57-420) attack percentage at the Ball State Active Ankle Challenge. She dished out 117 assists over 12 sets for the Cardinals to average 9.75 assists per set. Seaman led the Cardinals to an above .200 rate of success in all three matches, including a weekend-best .240 (64-20-183) effort in the five-set loss to Indiana. Individually, Seaman raised her career assist total to 2,419 with her 117 helpers over the weekend to move into 10th in program history. In addition, her 10.00 career assists-per-set average is sixth on Ball State’s career charts.
 
Kallie Seimet, Bowling Green, Libero
Senior – Oregon, Ohio/Clay
Senior Kallie Seimet is only 39 digs away from reaching the 250 mark this season. In the Falcons’ comeback victory against the Cleveland State Vikings, the Libero registered 23 digs, 5.00 per set, for a total of 55 throughout the entire CSU Invitational Tournament. 
 
Carly Townsend, Toledo, Setter
Senior – Germantown, Wisconsin/Germantown
Averaged 10.18 assists per set last weekend, also added 1.73 digs per set and just under one kill per set…Tallied 48 assists in the Duquesne match…Unleashed offensively in the Manhattan match; in addition to her 23 assists, she added eight kills and hit .357…Since fully reentering the Rockets’ lineup on Sept. 1, the Rockets are hitting. Over 70 points better and are averaging 1.1 more assists per set
 
Danie Tyson, Kent State, Middle Blocker
Freshman – South Holland, Illinois/Chicago Christian
Danie Tyson posted a team-high .328 hitting percentage while scoring 2.83 points per set over Kent State’s four matches last week. The middle blocker’s absence during a four-set stretch of play was noticeable, as the Golden Flashes went 0-4 and hit just .080 compared to a .270 hitting percentage over the 12 sets that she played.
 
Meg Wolowicz, NIU, Middle Blocker
Senior – Manitowoc, Wisconsin/Manitowoc Lincoln
Wolowicz averaged 4.0 kills and 2.0 digs per set as NIU went 1-2 at the Hampton Inn Bama Bash… Had double-digit kills in all three matches… Hit .281 with 12 kills and six digs against Georgia Tech… Led NIU with 14 kills in sweep of Marshall.