TicketSmarter WAC Volleyball Players of the Week Announced
DENVER – Dixie State junior outside hitter Whittnee Nihipali and UT Rio Grande Valley senior outside hitter Samaret Caraballo have been named the Western Athletic Conference Offensive and Defensive Volleyball Players of the Week, respectively, for the week of Jan. 18-24.
Nihipali, a Las Vegas native, averaged 4.00 kills per set on .500 hitting in the Trailblazers Division I debut, ranking her second in the WAC in both categories. Nihipali posted a double-double as she finished with 12 kills and 13 digs as Dixie State took down in-state rival Southern Utah in straight sets. She also averaged 4.3 points per set in DSU's lone match last week.
Caraballo, a native of the Dominican Republic, ranked third in the WAC and led the Vaqueros in digs per set last week as she averaged 3.75 digs from the outside hitter position. On Friday, she recorded 15 kills and 19 assists for her first career double-double as UTRGV fell to UTSA in five sets. Against, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Caraballo was one kill shy of a second double-double, finishing with nine kills and 11 digs.
Other offensive nominees included: Tarleton's Kayla Brannon averaged 5.29 assists per set last week, including recording 30 assists on the road against Stephen F. Austin… UT Rio Grande Valley's Veronika Jandova averaged 3.38 kills per set on .382 hitting along with 4.1 points per set on the week.
Other defensive nominees included: Dixie State's Lauolive Tonga finished the week averaging 1.33 digs per set and posted a match-high six block assists in the Trailblazers victory over Southern Utah… Tarleton's Amber Strange averaged 2.29 digs per set and recorded her first career double-double as she finished with 15 kills and 11 digs in a three-set win over Louisiana Tech.