Stony Brook's Morgan Sweany (Mission Viejo, Calif./Capistrano Valley) earns the first America East Player of the Week honor of the 2006 volleyball season, while freshman Kira Giles (Winnipeg, Canada/Glenlawn) got her career off on the right foot at UMBC by taking home Rookie of the Week accolades. Albany's Blair Buchanan (Muncie, Ind./Delta) has been named Setter of the Week after averaging 12.00 assists per game for the first two weeks of the season. The awards were announced Tuesday (September 5).
Sweany led the Seawolves to a 5-1 start to open the 2006 campaign as she totaled double-digit kills in five out of six games, averaging 4.36 kills per game, and adding 3.05 digs per game. At the Manhattan Invitational, Sweany totaled 51 kills in three matches to lead the Seawolves to the tournament title and garner tournament MVP honors. She has hit .270 over the six match span and tallied 11 service aces. Sweany also recorded over 20 kills twice, over 20 digs once and has posted two double-doubles.
Giles showed why she was tabbed the starting setter as she earned a spot on the Colgate Classic All-Tournament team after leading UMBC to three sweeps and the tournament title with a double-double and a 12.65 assist per game mark. Giles opened the season with 17 digs and 43 assists against Colgate and followed that up the next night with 33 assists, four digs and a service ace against Rider. Giles finished the tournament with 37 assists, seven digs and two service aces against La Salle. Against Towson she recorded her second double-double of the season with 16 digs and 39 assists. In her first four games, she is averaging 11.69 apg, 3.38 dpg and 0.54 bpg.
She has recorded 40-plus assists in every match but one, including a 50-assist performance in the Great Danes’ 3-1 win over Seton Hall at the Hofstra Tournament. She tallied her first double-double of the season with 49 assists and 10 digs versus Bradley and followed that up with a 47-assist, 13-dig performance in a 3-0 victory over Fairfield.