WEEKLY HONORS:

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Nina Cajic, Towson

Junior | Outside Hitter | Subotic, Serbia / Politehnicka Skola Subotica

Cajic led a balanced Towson attack with 43 kills and a .394 hitting percentage, helping the Tigers to a 4-0 week and a 7-0 start to the season. The junior outside hitter had just four attack errors on 99 attempts while recording double-digit kills in three of the four matches over the weekend. Cajic recorded 12 kills on a .303 hitting percentage and added five blocks in Towson’s five-set victory over Rutgers. She led the Tigers with 10 kills, hitting a .556, in a sweep over Radford after adding 12 kills in a win over Princeton.   

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Kayla Martin, Northeastern

Senior | Libro | Prosper, Texas / Prosper HS

Martin had a big week on the back line, recording 5.83 digs per set to help Northeastern to a 2-1 weekend at the Duke Invitational. The senior Libro tallied 70 total digs, including double-figure digs in all three matches. Her weekend was highlighted by a double-double against East Carolina, as Martin recorded season-highs with 27 digs and 11 assists in a four-set victory for the Huskies. 

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Sarah Callender, William & Mary

Freshman | Outside Hitter | Yorktown, Va. / Tabb HS

Callender was instrumental to the Tribe’s 3-0 weekend, with 2.60 kills per set on a .390 hitting percentage and 3.60 digs per set. The Freshman outside hitter totaled 26 kills, hitting over .300 in all three matches, and added 36 digs, including ten or more in each contest. Callender began the weekend with her second double-double this season, hitting .364 with 11 kills and 10 digs while adding six service aces in a win over Robert Morris.

CONFERENCE NOTES:

B1G TIME TIGERS

• Towson continued its hot start to the season with a 4-0 weekend in its home invitational. The Tigers defeated Princeton, Radford, Morgan State and Big Ten adversary Rutgers to remain unbeaten on the season. 

• The win over Rutgers is Towson’s fifth victory over a Power Five opponent since 2016. It also marks Towson’s first 7-0 start to a season since 2017. 

HAMPTON BEGINS CAA TENURE 

• Hampton started its CAA tenure with a 2-0 weekend at the Henson Hawk Invitational. The Pirates defeated UMES and Manhattan in dominating fashion, topping the Hawks in four sets and the Jaspers in straight sets while only allowing their opponent to surpass 20 points in one set. 

TEAM NOTES:

Charleston 

• Gabi Bailey led the Cougars with 33 kills (3.00 per set) over the weekend, recording double-figure kills in all three matches. Bailey has tallied at least 10 kills in all six matches this season. 

• Claire Campbell continued her hot start to the season, hitting .467 over the weekend. She recorded a season-high 12 kills on a .571 hitting percentage with a career-best seven blocks against Charlotte. 

• Charleston’s 11 total blocks in the weekend finale mark a season-best for the Cougars. 

Delaware

• Lani Mason led Delaware with 57 kills (4.75 per set), including a career-high 31 kills in a five-set defeat at UMBC. The 31 kills are the most in a five-set match in the NCAA this fall. 

• Kirah Johnson recorded 2.00 kills per set and 1.50 blocks per set last week. Johnson tallied a career-high 13 kills in the defeat to American, followed by a career-best 12 blocks in the setback against UMBC.

• Ezgi Basaranlar averaged 9.92 assists per set throughout the week, capped by a season-high 50 on Sunday. Basaranlar has eclipsed 40 assists in three of Delaware’s five matches this year.

Elon

• Jordan Gower continued her impressive start to the season with 57 digs (5.18 per set) this weekend. Gower has double-digit digs in every match this season and 20 or more on three occasions.  

• Haylie Clark ended the weekend with two consecutive double-doubles. She tallied 30 assists and 10 digs against Tennessee, followed by 36 assists and 10 digs against NC State. Clark has three double-doubles this season. 

• Sydney Love was one kill shy of her career-high with 14 against Tennessee. She added a career-best five blocks in the same contest. 

Hampton 

• Hampton started 2-0 for the second time since 2014, with 2019 being the other occasion. In their wins, Hampton surrendered over 20 points in a set just once.

• Clara Smith paced Hampton with 24 kills (3.43 per set) and hit a blistering .556 over the two matches. She was the lone Pirate with double-digit kills in both contests. 

• Julieta Campana opened the season with a double-double, recording 29 assists and 10 digs against UMES. She also had 24 assists and seven digs against Manhattan, leading Hampton in assists and assists per set.  

Hofstra

• Hofstra has won its first true road match of the season in two of the last three years, with both wins coming against Seton Hall. 

• Clara Bal concluded the week with back-to-back double-doubles. The freshman outside hitter tallied 12 kills and a season-best 17 digs against Portland, followed by 11 kills and 11 digs versus Denver.

• Beatriz Alves tallied 125 assists, recording at least 30 assists in three of the four matches. She ranks 23rd in the NCAA with 230 total assists this season.  

North Carolina A&T

• Naiya Sawtelle earned all-tournament honors at the Wildcat Classic. Throughout the week, she paced the Aggies with 61 kills (3.81 per set) and added 16 service aces (1.00 per set). 

• Hannah Howell recorded a career-high 17 kills in the Aggies’ victory over NC Central and added nine digs. 

• Morgan Allen tallied a team-best 55 digs (3.44 per set), including a career-high 20 in the weekend finale. She has reached double-digit digs in four matches this season. 

UNCW

• UNCW gained its first win of the season with a come-from-behind five-set win over Murray State. Katie Lanz led the way with 16 kills and paced UNCW for the weekend with 34 kills (3.09 per set). 

• Middles Caitlyn Callahan and Grace Melnick had 10 blocks (0.91 per set) and 23 kills (2.09 per set) in the tournament, respectively.

• Annabelle Schall recorded a career-best 30 assists in the UNCW victory. She totaled 78 assists (7.09 per set) for the tournament and had at least 20 in all three matches.

Northeastern 

• Kayla Martin recorded a team-best 70 digs (5.83 per set), including 20 or more in both Northeastern wins. 

• Erica Staunton recorded double-digit kills in all three matches for the Huskies, totaling 49 (4.08 per set) over the weekend. Staunton has at least 10 kills in all six contests this season. 

• Nailah Jenkins recorded double-digit kills in the final two matches of the weekend, with 12 and 11, respectively. She added seven service aces (0.58 per set) to lead Northeastern. 

Stony Brook 

• Leoni Kunz paced Stony Brook with 40 kills (3.33 per set), reaching double figures in the final two matches last week and recording a season-high 17 in the weekend finale.  

• Freshman outside hitter Kali Moore tallied her second double-double of her young career, finishing with 12 kills and a season-high 16 digs in the Seawolves’ victory. 

• Torri Henry recorded her third double-double of the season with 51 assists and 13 digs against Georgetown, marking the second time she has handed out 50 or more assists this fall.

Towson 

• Nina Cajic led Towson with 43 kills (2.87 per set) and reached double-figure kills in three of four matches. 

• Victoria Barrett recorded a pair of impressive double-doubles with 12 kills and 22 digs against Princeton, followed by 15 kills and 15 digs versus Rutgers. 

• Katie McCracken recorded her first career double-double with a personal-best 25 assists and 11 digs against Princeton. Her running mate, Sarah Jordan, led Towson with 86 assists (5.73 per set), recording at least 20 in all four matches. 

William & Mary

• Sarah Callender totaled 26 kills (2.60 per set) and 36 digs (3.60 per set), including double-figure digs in all three matches. Additionally, she recorded her second double-double this season with 11 kills and 10 digs against Robert Morris.  

• Sabrina Malcolm hit an impressive .510, averaging 3.00 kills per set in the Tribe’s three wins. She swung at least .500 and recorded double-digit kills in back-to-back matches to conclude the weekend. 

• Eleanor Stothoff tallied a career-high 15 kills against Duquesne, which is the most by a Tribe player this season.