Strong Week for UAlbany, Hartford and UNH; Week 3 Awards Announced
BOSTON – Five of America East’s seven #AEVB programs earned victories last week, including UAlbany and Hartford, which posted a perfect 3-0 mark. UAlbany captured the FGCU Invitational title with a three-set sweep over West Virginia in Saturday’s game. The Hartford Hawks are on a four-game winning streak for the first time since 2014 and the Wildcats handed Yale its first loss of the season.
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Here are the conference's first award winners:
Co-Player of the Week
Jenna Bridges, Hartford – Jr., MB, Exeter, R.I.
- Averaged 5.00 kills per set in three matches over the weekend.
- Career-high 21 kills and hit .444 in win against Bucknell.
- Named All-Tournament Team honors while helping the Hawks extend winning streak to four, longest streak since 2014.
- Leads the league in kills per set (3.86) and blocks per set (1.14).
- This is Bridges’ second career #AEVB Player of the Week award.
Co-Player of the Week
Gabri Olhava, New Hampshire – Sr., MB, Mount Prospect, Ill.
- Averaged 3.72 kills per set on a .392 hitting percentage.
- Career-high 20 kills on a .613 hitting percentage to lead UNH to a 3-1 win against previously unbeaten Yale.
- Matched career-high 20 kills in the five-set win over Army.
- Leads the league in hitting percentage (.343).
- This is Olhava’s second career #AEVB Player of the Week award.
Setter of the Week
Megan Anderson, Hartford – So., Setter, Orono, MN.
- Averaged 11.64 assists per set and 1.09 blocks per set.
- Earned MVP honors at Hartford Hawks Invitational while also being named All-Tournament Team.
- Tallied 47 assists in victory against Brown with a career-high seven blocks.
- Leads the league in assists per set (10.25).
- This is Anderson’s first career Setter of the Week honor.
Defensive Specialist of the Week
Nicole Otero, UAlbany – Sr., Defensive Specialist, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
- Surpassed 1,500 career digs moving into fourth all-time in UAlbany’s program history.
- Had 61 digs averaging 5.55 digs per set.
- Helped UAlbany to a 3-0 week winning the tournament title.
- This is Otero’s 17th career #AEVB Defensive Specialist of the Week honor.
Rookie of the Week
Maddie Wiedenfeld, New Hampshire – Fr., MB., Omaha, NE.
- Averaged 2.89 kills per set on a .281 hitting percentage.
- Had 13 blocks to help lead UNH to a 3-1 record last week.
- Tallied 13 kills and just one error on 23 attacks for a .522 hitting percentage over previously unbeaten Yale.
- This is Wiedenfeld’s second #AEVB Rookie of the Week award of her career.
Weekly Award Winners
Aug. 28 – Player of the Week: Emily Costello, Stony Brook; Setter of the Week: LeAnne Sakowicz, Stony Brook; Defensive Specialist: Emily Tanski, New Hampshire; Rookie: Paige Krenik, UMBC
Sept. 5 – Player of the Week: Jenna Bridges, Hartford; Setter of the Week: LeAnne Sakowicz, Stony Brook; Defensive Specialist: Emily Tanski, New Hampshire; Rooke: Maddie Wiedenfeld, New Hampshire
Sept. 11 – Co-Player of the Week: Jenna Bridges, Hartford; Co-Player of the Week: Gabri Olhava, New Hampshire; Setter: Megan Anderson, Hartford; Defensive Specialist: Nicole Otero, UAlbany; Rookie: Maddie Wiedenfeld, New Hampshire
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