Player of the Week
Grace Dilena, Mercy
Freshman | Outside Hitter | New York, NY
Dilena had a team-high 27 kills and eight aces to go with 14 digs and four blocks as Mercy went 2-0 on the week. The freshman opened the week with a match-high-tying 14 kills to go with two aces, 10 digs and one block assist in Mercy's win over Molloy on Wednesday. Dilena ended the week with a match-high-tying 13 kills with a match-high six aces to go with four digs, one block solo and three block assists in Mercy's win at first-place Queens on Saturday.
Defensive Player of the Week
Nahirka Malpica, Daemen
Junior | Outside Hitter | Caguas, Puerto Rico
Malpica led the Wildcats both offensively and defensively with 38 kills and 38 digs (4.2 per set) in Daemen's 1-1 week, posting a double-double in both matches against Gannon and Roberts Wesleyan. The junior outside hitter totaled 20+ kills for the second time this season against the Redhawks, totaling 22 kills on 55 attacks. She added two assists, two aces and a block to her stat line this week.
Setter of the Week
Adriana Rivera Rodriguez, Mercy
Sophomore | Setter | Humacao, Puerto Rico
Rivera Rodriguez had a team-high 76 assists and 9.50 assists per set with 12 digs, five blocks, and two aces as Mercy went 2-0. The sophomore opened the week with a match-high 39 assists to go with eight digs, two aces, one block solo and three block assists in Mercy's 3-1 win over Molloy on Wednesday. The setter ended the week with a match-high 37 assists with four digs and one block solo in the Mavericks' 3-1 win over first-place Queens on Saturday.
Rookie of the Week
Grace Dilena, Mercy
Freshman | Outside Hitter | New York, NY
Dilena had a team-high 27 kills and eight aces to go with 14 digs and four blocks as Mercy went 2-0 on the week. The freshman opened the week with a match-high-tying 14 kills to go with two aces, 10 digs and one block assist in Mercy's win over Molloy on Wednesday. Dilena ended the week with a match-high-tying 13 kills with a match-high six aces to go with four digs, one block solo and three block assists in Mercy's win at first-place Queens on Saturday.
ECC Weekly Honor Roll
Gabriela Bieniek, Mercy
Junior | Outside Hitter | Rzeszow, Poland
Bieniek had 24 kills and a team-high 17 digs with six aces and two blocks as Mercy went 2-0 on the week. The junior opened the week with 11 kills, 10 digs and four aces in Mercy's win over Molloy on Wednesday. Bieniek ended the week with a match-high-tying 13 kills on .276 hitting with seven digs and two aces in the Mavericks' win over first-place Queens on Saturday.
Despina Boudouris, Queens
Senior | Setter | Athens, Greece
In a 1-1 ECC week, Boudouris recorded 67 assists, four service aces, three digs, and four kills. Boudouris began the week recording 33 assists, three digs, and two kills as Queens earned a 3-0 ECC victory over STAC on Tuesday for its 15th overall victory and fifth ECC victory of the year. On Saturday, the senior notched 34 assists, four service aces, and two kills in a four-set loss to Mercy.
Christina Franco, Queens
Senior | Outside Hitter | Lynbrook, NY
In a 1-1 ECC week, Franco recorded 20 kills, 21 digs, five assists and six service aces. Franco began the week recording nine kills, 15 digs, four service aces, and two assists as Queens earned a 3-0 ECC victory over STAC on Tuesday for its 15th overall victory and fifth ECC victory of the year. On Saturday, the senior recorded 11 kills, six digs, two service aces, and three assists in a four-set loss to Mercy.
Mitha Hatwar, D’Youville
Sophomore | Setter | Columbus, OH
Hatwar recorded 32 assists in the win against Roberts Wesleyan along with 15 digs and 2 service aces.
Samantha Killane, D’Youville
Senior | DS | Vero Beach, FL
Killane recorded six service aces in the win against Roberts Wesleyan with three back-to-back on two different runs to put the Saints ahead. The Senior also was strong on defense recording a season-best 24 digs.
Julia Pomerleau, Mercy
Graduate Student | Middle Blocker | Portland, ME
Pomerleau had 25 kills on .512 hitting with six blocks as Mercy went 2-0 on the week. The graduate student opened the week with 14 kills on .423 hitting with one block solo and three block assists in the win over Molloy on Wednesday. Pomerleau ended the week with 11 kills on .667 hitting with one block solo and one block assist in Mercy's 3-1 at first-place Queens on Saturday.
Kiarra Roth, Molloy
Graduate Student | Outside Hitter | Bohemia, NY
Roth led the Lions with an average of over 4.6 kills per set. The graduate student had a double-double with 23 kills and 11 digs against Saint Thomas Aquinas, adding two blocks and an ace. She also reached double digits offensively against Mercy with 14 kills.
Caleigh Schroeder, Roberts Wesleyan
Junior | Setter | Maplewood, MN
Junior Caleigh Schroeder was the top player for the Roberts Wesleyan Volleyball team in a tough 0-2 week with close losses to Daemen (3-2) and D'Youville (3-1). Schroeder handed out 69 assists in the matches including 39 in the five-set loss to Daemen. She also had 54 digs including a career-high 32 digs in the D'Youville match. The 32 digs in a match is second on the leaders list for the ECC.
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
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
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
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)
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)