CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - University of New Hampshire and Stony Brook University continue to dominate the America East volleyball weekly awards as three standouts from the two schools are this week's award winners. The recipients for the week ending Sept. 9 were announced Monday afternoon.
The Wildcats' Morgan Thatcher and Taylor Dunklau led their team to a 2-1 mark over the weekend and are the Player and Setter of the Week, respectively. Melissa Rigo helped her team go 3-1 and picked up Rookie of the Week accolades for the third straight week. UNH and Stony Brook have combined for eight of the nine weekly awards so far this season.
Thatcher (Brockton, Mass.) averaged a conference-best 4.31 kills per set over four matches last week to earn the top player honor. The junior right-side hitter hit .273 for the week, which ranked fifth in America East, including .577 (16-for26) in a 3-0 win over Holy Cross on Friday. Thatcher, who earned all-tournament honors at the Holly Young Invitational, racked up 23 kills in a 3-2 comeback win over Central Connecticut State on Saturday.
Dunklau (Mukawonago, Wis.) earned her third straight Setter of the Week honor to start the season by averaging a conference-best 10.85 assists per set last week. She paced UNH to a .226 team hitting percentage for the week, which led the league. Dunklau had the best match of her stellar season in the victory over the Blue Devils, racking up a career and America East-season high 61 assists (12.2 aps) and 12 digs.
Rigo (East Northport, N.Y.) ranked third in America East last week with 4.11 kills and 2.78 digs per set en route to picking up her third straight Rookie of the Week honor. The freshman side hitter had double-doubles in three of her four matches last week, including 23 kills and 17 digs in a 3-2 win over Bucknell on Saturday.
2012 America East Volleyball Weekly Award Winners
Aug. 27 - Player of the Week: Melissa Rigo (Stony Brook); Setter of the Week: Taylor Dunklau (New Hampshire); Rookie of the Week: Melissa Rigo (Stony Brook)
Sept. 4 - Player of the Week: Sareeta Nethersole (Hartford); Setter of the Week: Taylor Dunklau (New Hampshire); Rookie of the Week: Melissa Rigo (Stony Brook)
Sept. 10 - Player of the Week: Morgan Thatcher (New Hampshire); Setter of the Week: Taylor Dunklau (New Hampshire); Rookie of the Week: Melissa Rigo (Stony Brook)