Player of the Week
Madi Hathaway, Queens
Freshman | Setter/Right Side | Edmond, OK
In a 1-1 week for the Knights, Hathaway led the way recording 27 kills, 22 assists, 15 digs, and four blocks. In the 3-0 victory over Molloy on Thursday evening, Hathaway recorded 13 kills on a scorching hitting percentage of .579 to go with three blocks as Queens earned their sixth conference victory of the year. In a heartbreaking 3-2 non-conference loss to West Chester, the rookie notched her sixth triple-double of the year with 14 kills, 16 assists, and 12 digs to go with one service ace and one block on Saturday afternoon.
Defensive Player of the Week
Dahiana Garcia Atuesta, St. Thomas Aquinas
Sophomore | DS/Libero | Pereira, Colombia
Garcia Atuesta led STAC in digs across both against Caldwell and Mercy, totaling 23 digs (2.88 digs/set). The Spartan sophomore totaled 10 digs against the Cougars and dished out 13 digs against the Mavericks.
Setter of the Week
Adriana Rivera Rodriguez, Mercy
Sophomore | Setter | Humacao, Puerto Rico
Rivera Rodriguez had a team-high 126 assists and 9.69 assists per set with 24 digs, five block assists and five aces as Mercy went 1-2 on the week. The sophomore opened the week with 35 assists, eight digs and two aces at New Haven on Tuesday before recording 38 assists, 13 digs, and three aces against Bentley on Thursday. The setter ended the week with a match-high 53 assists with three digs and four block assists in the Mavericks' come-from-behind win over STAC on Saturday.
Rookie of the Week
Madi Hathaway, Queens
Freshman | Setter/Right Side | Edmond, OK
In a 1-1 week for the Knights, Hathaway led the way recording 27 kills, 22 assists, 15 digs, and four blocks. In the 3-0 victory over Molloy on Thursday evening, Hathaway recorded 13 kills on a scorching hitting percentage of .579 to go with three blocks as Queens earned their sixth conference victory of the year. In a heartbreaking 3-2 non-conference loss to West Chester, the rookie notched her sixth triple-double of the year with 14 kills, 16 assists, and 12 digs to go with one service ace and one block on Saturday afternoon.
ECC Weekly Honor Roll
Gabriela Bieniek, Mercy
Junior | Outside Hitter | Rzeszow, Poland
Bieniek had 32 kills and a team-high 4.00 kills per set in a 1-2 week for Mercy. The junior added 13 digs and two aces in two matches this week. The outside hitter opened the week with 12 kills and four digs at New Haven on Tuesday. Bieniek ended the week with a match-high and career-high 20 kills to go with nine digs and two aces against Bentley on Thursday.
Despina Boudouris, Queens
Senior | Setter | Athens, Greece
In a 1-1 week for the Knights, Boudouris recorded 55 assists, 17 digs, two service aces, and two kills. In the 3-0 victory over Molloy Thursday evening, Boudouris recorded 30 assists, seven digs, two service aces, and one kill as Queens earned their sixth ECC victory of the year. In a heartbreaking 3-2 non-conference loss to West Chester, the senior recorded her fifth double-double of the year with 25 assists, and 10 digs to go one kill.
Aitza Cruz, Mercy
Senior | Libero | Vega Alta, Puerto Rico
Cruz had a team-high 26 digs and 2.00 digs per set with five aces and six assists as Mercy went 1-2. The senior opened the week with 10 digs at New Haven on Tuesday and had 10 digs and two aces against Bentley on Thursday. Cruz ended the week with six digs and three aces in Mercy's come-from-behind win over STAC on Saturday.
Grace Dilena, Mercy
Freshman | Outside Hitter | New York, NY
Dilena had a team-high 36 kills on .238 hitting with 24 digs, six aces and two blocks as Mercy went 1-2 on the week. The freshman opened the week with 10 kills, 12 digs and three aces at New Haven on Tuesday before recording seven kills, six digs and one ace against Bentley on Thursday. The outside hitter ended the week with a career-high 19 kills on .359 hitting with six digs and two aces in Mercy's come-from-behind win over STAC on Saturday.
Jonaida Donowa, Queens
Freshman | Middle Blocker | Porter, TX
In a 1-1 week for the Knights, Donowa notched 17 kills on a hitting percentage of .278 to go with seven blocks and two service aces. In the 3-0 victory over Molloy Thursday evening, Donowa notched eight kills on a scorching hitting percentage of .500 to go with three blocks and one service ace as Queens earned their sixth ECC victory of the year. In a heartbreaking 3-2 non-conference loss to West Chester, the rookie notched nine kills to go with four blocks and one service ace.
Greta Santini, St. Thomas Aquinas
Junior | Outside Hitter | Reggio Emilia, Italy
Santini recorded a .380 hitting percentage for the Spartans on a 1-1 week. The STAC junior totaled 35 kills, five service aces, 11 digs and three block assists across 8 sets against Caldwell and Mercy.
Lea Venghaus, St. Thomas Aquinas
Senior | Setter | Muenster, Germany
Venghaus notched 89 assists and 11.13 assists per set in a 1-1 weeks for the Spartans. The STAC senior setter recorded 43 assists and 5 digs against Caldwell and 46 assists and 8 digs against Mercy. Her weekend totals were 89 assists, 13 digs, three kills, two service aces and two blocks in 8 sets.
ECC Women's Volleyball Weekly Award Winners
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sept. 9 - Madi Hathaway, Queens
Sept. 16 - Madi Hathaway, Queens (2x)
Sept. 23 - Nahirka Malpica, Daemen
Sept. 30 - Kiarra Roth, Molloy
Oct. 7 - Christina Franco, Queens
Oct. 14 - Gabriela Bieniek, Mercy and Giselle Ramirez, D'Youville
Oct. 21 - Grace Dilena, Mercy
Oct. 28 - Madi Hathaway, Queens (3x)
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sept. 9 - Sarah Munn, Queens
Sept. 16 - Jasmine Brundage, Daemen and Jonaida Donowa, Queens
Sept. 23 - Jasmine Brundage, Daemen (2x)
Sept. 30 - Jonaida Donowa, Queens (2x) and Emma Wlostowski, D'Youvlle
Oct. 7 - Teagan Weber, Roberts Wesleyan
Oct. 14 - Julia Pomerleau, Mercy
Oct. 21 - Nahirka Malpica, Daemen
Oct. 28 - Dahiana Garcia Atuesta, St. Thomas Aquinas
SETTER OF THE WEEK
Sept. 9 - Caleigh Schroeder, Roberts Wesleyan
Sept. 16 - Caleigh Schroeder, Roberts Wesleyan (2x)
Sept. 23 - Caleigh Schroeder, Roberts Wesleyan (3x)
Sept. 30 - Mitha Hatwar, D'Youville'
Oct. 7 - Julia Zalta, Molloy
Oct. 14 - Adriana Rivera Rodriguez, Mercy
Oct. 21 - Adriana Rivera Rodriguez, Mercy
Oct. 28 - Adriana Rivera Rodriguez, Mercy
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Sept. 9 - Madi Hathaway, Queens
Sept. 16 - Madi Hathaway, Queens (2x)
Sept. 23 - Isabella Rios, Molloy
Sept. 30 - Madi Hathaway, Queens (3x)
Oct. 7 - Madi Hathaway, Queens (4x)
Oct. 14 - Grace Dilena, Mercy
Oct. 21 - Grace Dilena, Mercy (2x)
Oct. 28 - Madi Hathaway (5x)
Previously in the Polls
NCAA EAST REGION RANKINGS
AMERICAN VOLLEYBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION/TARAFLEX TOP 25 NATIONAL POLL
Preseason through Week 6: NR
ECC PRESEASON POLL
1. Daemen (45 points, 4 first-place votes)
2. Mercy (40 points, 2 first-place votes)
3. Molloy (36 points, 1 first-place vote)
4. Queens (26 points)
5. St. Thomas Aquinas (20 points)
6. D'Youville (19 points)
7. Roberts Wesleyan (10 points)