TicketSmarter WAC Volleyball Players of the Week Announced
DENVER – Abilene Christian outside hitter Lindsey Toney and Sam Houston middle blocker McKenzie Morvant have been named the Western Athletic Conference Offensive and Defensive Volleyball Players of the Week, respectively, for the week of August 23 through August 29. Additionally, Grand Canyon's McKenzie Wise has earned Freshman of the Week honors.
Toney, a senior from New Braunfels, Texas, had a monster weekend as she tallied a career-high 33 kills on an impressive .429 hitting in the Wildcats' season opener against UT Arlington. Toney's 33-kill outing is good for second all-time in school history and most since ACU turned DI. She followed Friday's performance with 29 kills in a five-set win over Incarnate Word. On the week, Toney averaged 6.89 kills per set on a .377 hitting percentage while adding 3.00 digs per set to lead the Wildcats to a 2-0 start.
Morvant, a freshman from Deer Park, Texas, came away from the weekend averaging 1.38 blocks per set after posting 22 total blocks to lead Sam Houston through the Bearkat Invitational with a 4-0 record. Her numbers are good for second in the WAC in total blocks and fourth in blocks per set. In the Kats' second match of the weekend, Morvant recorded a career-high nine blocks as Sam Houston went on to defeat San Diego State in straight sets.
Wise, an outside hitter from Phoenix, helped lead the Lopes to a 3-0 start as she averaged 3.90 kills per set on .329 hitting in her debut weekend. She was also named to the Idaho Volleyball Classic All-Tournament team after leading the Lopes in kills in all three matches. Her weekend was highlighted by a 16-kill performance against Idaho in which she posted a .452 hitting percentage. Wise was also a factor on the defensive end as she totaled 17 digs over 10 sets.
Other offensive nominees included: California Baptist's Scherine Dahoue finished the week averaging 3.67 points a set, including a 12-kill effort in a three-set victory over Chattanooga… Chicago State's Yanlis Feliz tallied 3.50 kills per set to help lead the Cougars to their best start in Division I history… Dixie State's Whittnee Nihipali recorded double-digit kills twice this weekend as she led the Trailblazers with 3.08 kills per set at the Boise State Classic… Grand Canyon's McKenzie Wise shined in the Lopes' opening weekend as she averaged 4.3 points per set… Lamar's Malaysia Murdock led the Cardinals with 30 kills on .384 hitting across three matches at the Katrinka Crawford Invitational… NM State's Shaney Lipscomb hit .397 at the Cactus Classic, highlighted by 17 kills on .552 hitting in a five-set comeback win over UC San Diego in the Aggies' season opener… Sam Houston's Morgan Janda claimed MVP honors at the Bearkat Invitational as she averaged 8.75 assists per set, including a career-high 50-assist performance in a five-set win over Houston Baptist on Sunday… Stephen F. Austin's Leah Powell totaled 20 kills over three matches, including 10 kills on .381 hitting against SMU on Friday… Tarleton's Lauren Kersey led the way for the Texans' offense as she averaged 3.71 kills per set on .317 hitting at the FIU Invitational... UT Rio Grande Valley's Luisa Silva Dos Santos was named the New Orleans Invitational MVP behind 2.57 kills per set on .621 hitting to go along with 1.29 service aces per set… Utah Valley's Kazna Tanuvasa led the Wolverines with 17 kills and a pair of aces as they took a set from No. 19 Utah.
Other defensive nominees included: Abilene Christian's Madison Lawler lead the Wildcats to a 2-0 start as she averaged 4.33 digs per set, including a 24-dig showing in her ACU debut… California Baptist's Paige Johnstone averaged 3.89 digs per set, compiling 35 digs over three matches at the Georgia State Invite… Chicago State's Andrea Calderon averaged 4.17 digs per set, including recording 18 digs in the Cougars' first win of their 2021 campaign… Grand Canyon's Teagan DeFalco became the Lopes' DI career leader in digs last weekend as she totaled 42 digs to average 4.20 digs per set in a trio of wins at the Idaho Volleyball Classic… Stephen F. Austin's Taya Mitchell was voted to the SMU Doubletree Invitational All-Tournament Team after posting 15 kills and 13 blocks across three matches… Tarleton's Lorin McNeil was a force at the net, recording 1.71 blocks per set in a pair of matches during opening weekend... UT Rio Grande Valley's Veronika Jandova matched her career-high of 11 blocks to help lead the Vaqueros past New Orleans in four sets on Friday… Utah Valley's Bryton Bishop led UVU with 15 digs to go along with nine assists against Utah in the Wolverines' season opener.
Other freshmen nominees included: California Baptist's Ashlyn Nevrla finished the week hitting .389, including a five-kill, three-block showing against Georgia State on Friday… Dixie State's Lauren Mena averaged 7.17 assists per set as she served as the Trailblazers' main setter in her collegiate debut… Lamar's Paige Dugan finished the week third on the team in kills (27), fourth in digs (27) and second in aces (4)…Sam Houston's McKenzie Morvant helped lead the Bearkats to a 4-0 weekend as she hit .352 and recorded 2.1 points per set… Stephen F. Austin's Alyssa Ortega helped lead the Ladyjacks to a four-set win over Pacific behind a match-high 25 digs from her defensive specialist position… Tarleton's Trinity Vinzant averaged 3.29 digs per set while also posting seven total kills in her first weekend as a Texan... UT Rio Grande Valley's Luanna Emiliano recorded a pair of double-doubles on her way to earning All-Tournament Team honors at the New Orleans Invitational… Utah Valley's Natalie Palmer finished one dig away from a double-double in her first collegiate outing, recording 14 assists and nine digs against No. 19 Utah on Friday.