Sept. 20, 2021

View Online: https://bit.ly/21VBWeek4Awards

Fighting Illini’s Brown, Spartans’ Franklin, Gophers’ Wenaas, Buckeyes’ Murr and Badgers’ Orzol earn top conference honors this week

Player of the Week

Jenna Wenaas, Minnesota

So. – OH – Frisco, Texas – Liberty – Major: Health & Well-Being Sciences

• Averaged 4.67 kills, 3.17 digs, 1.33 blocks and 0.67 per set with a .333 hitting percentage last week, helping the Gophers to a pair of wins at their Diet Coke Classic

• Notched her second career double-double on Sept. 18 against Iowa State with 14 kills and 13 digs, while adding four blocks

• Added a match-high 14 kills, four blocks and a career-high four aces in the Sept. 17 win over St. Thomas

• Earns her first career Player of the Week honor

• Last Minnesota Player of the Week: Stephanie Samedy (Sept. 13, 2021)

Defensive Player of the Week

Kylie Murr, Ohio State

Jr. – L – Yorktown, Ind. – Yorktown – Major: Sport Industry

• Anchored the Buckeyes’ defense with 5.38 digs per set last weekend as No. 3 Ohio State swept a home-and-home series against Notre Dame

• Recorded a season-high 24 digs in Sunday’s five-set win and added 19 digs in the Sept. 17 series opener, helping the Buckeyes remain one of three unbeaten Big Ten teams this season

• Chosen for Academic All-Big Ten honors last season

• Garners her second career Defensive Player of the Week accolade

• Last Ohio State Defensive Player of the Week: Rylee Rader (March 1, 2021)

Setter of the Week

Diana Brown, Illinois

Jr. – S – Columbus, Ohio – St. Francis DeSales – Major: Molecular & Cellular Biology

• Named MVP at the Illinois State Redbird Classic after pacing Illinois to a trio of sweeps against Missouri, ISU and North Texas last weekend

• Averaged 11.44 assists and 1.89 digs per set while guiding the Fighting Illini to a .319 team hitting percentage for the tournament

• A two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten selection (2019, 2020)

• Collects her first career Setter of the Week plaudit

• Last Illinois Setter of the Week: Jordyn Poulter (Oct. 29, 2018)

Freshman of the Week

Sarah Franklin, Michigan State

OH – Lake Worth, Fla. – Lake Worth Christian – Major: Civil Engineering

• Tallied 4.20 kills, 2.10 digs and 0.60 blocks per set with a .320 hitting percentage to help the Spartans to three wins in as many tries at their Green & White Classic last weekend

• Posted her second double-double of the season on Sept. 18 vs. Central Michigan with a career-high 21 kills and 10 digs

• Narrowly missed another double-double in the Sept. 17 win over Oakland with a (then) season-best 13 kills and nine digs

• Receives the second Freshman of the Week award of her career

• Last Michigan State Freshman of the Week: Sarah Franklin (Feb. 15, 2021)

Co-Freshman of the Week

Julia Orzol, Wisconsin

OH – Olsztyn, Poland – Liceum Ogolnoksztalcace Mistrzostwa Sportowego – Intended Major: Business

• Averaged 3.67 kills, 2.67 digs, 0.67 blocks and 0.67 aces last week as the second-ranked Badgers remained undefeated with sweeps of Green Bay and Northern Illinois

• Registered a career-high 14 kills in the Sept. 17 win over Green Bay

• Challenged for a double-double on Sept. 18 at NIU, finishing with eight kills and nine digs, while tying her career bests with three blocks and three aces

• Earns her first career Freshman of the Week honor

• Last Wisconsin Freshman of the Week: Jade Demps (Feb. 22, 2021)

2021 Big Ten Players of the Week

Aug. 30
P: Dana Rettke, Grad., WIS

D: Hannah Grant, So., MICH

S: Sydney Hilley, Grad., WIS

F: Lexi Rodriguez, NEB

F: Arica Davis, OSU

Sept. 6
P: Jonni Parker, Sr., PSU

D: Kayla Caffey, Sr., NEB

S: Hayley Bush, Grad., PUR

F: Milan Gomillion, MD

F: Arica Davis, OSU

Sept. 13
P: Stephanie Samedy, Sr., MINN

D: CC McGraw, Grad., MINN

S: Sydney Hilley, Grad., WIS

F: Milan Gomillion, MD

Sept. 20
P: Jenna Wenaas, So., MINN

D: Kylie Murr, Jr., OSU

S: Diana Brown, Jr., ILL

F: Sarah Franklin, MSU

F: Julia Orzol, WIS

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