Illinois, Minnesota and Penn State Earn Weekly Volleyball Awards
Illinois’ Brandi Donnelly and Jordyn Poulter, Minnesota’s Stephanie Samedy and Penn State’s Kendall White earn weekly honors
Player and Freshman of the Week
Stephanie Samedy, Minnesota
OPP – Fr. – Clermont, Fla. – East Ridge
• Averaged 5.2 kills and 3.3 digs per set with a .418 hitting percentage, helping No. 5 Minnesota earn a pair of conference wins
• Had a match-high 18 kills, nine digs and two blocks in a sweep of Maryland
• Posted a double-double with 13 kills and 11 digs in the Gophers’ straight-set victory over Ohio State
• Earns her second career Player of the Week award and third career Freshman of the Week award
• Last Minnesota Player of the Week: Stephanie Samedy (Aug. 28, 2017)
• Last Minnesota Freshman of the Week: Jasmyn Martin (Oct. 9, 2017)
Co-Defensive Players of the Week
Brandi Donnelly, Illinois
L – Sr. – Williamsville, Ill. – Williamsville
• Returned from an injury to average 5.12 digs per set on the weekend to help Illinois earn a pair of conference victories
• Posted 14 digs and five assists, helping the Illini hit .348 in their straight-set victory over Northwestern
• The two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree was error-free in 48 opportunities, while adding 27 digs in the five-set win against Michigan
• Collects her fifth career Defensive Player of the Week accolade and second the season
• Last Illinois Defensive Player of the Week: Brandi Donnelly (Sept. 18, 2017)
Kendall White, Penn State
L – So. – Indianapolis, Ind. – Cathedral
• Averaged 4.9 digs per set to help top-ranked Penn State extend its win streak to 13 matches
• Posted a season-best 29 digs and six assists in the Nittany Lions’ four-set victory at No. 9 Michigan State
• Earned five digs and was error-free in 11 reception attempts to help the team hit .567 in the straight-set win against Rutgers
• Collects her third career Defensive Player of the Week accolade
• Last Penn State Defensive Player of the Week: Kendall White (Oct. 30, 2017)
Setter of the Week
Jordyn Poulter, Illinois
S – Jr. – Aurora, Colo. – Eaglecrest
• Posted 81 set assists to average 10.12 per set in guiding Illinois to wins over Northwestern and Michigan
• Registered 31 assists, seven digs and four blocks to help the team hit .348 in their straight-set win at Northwestern
• Earned her eighth double-double of the season with 50 assists and 14 digs in the Illini’s five-set victory over Michigan
• Receives her third career Setter of the Week citation and first of the season
• Last Illinois Setter of the Week: Jordyn Poulter (Oct. 17, 2016)
2017 Big Ten Players of the Week
Aug. 28
P: Stephanie Samedy, Fr., MINN
P: Dana Rettke, Fr., WIS
D: Ali Bastianelli, Jr., ILL
S: Sydney Hilley, Fr., WIS
F: Stephanie Samedy, MINN
F: Dana Rettke, WIS
Sept. 5
P: Haleigh Washington, Sr., PSU
D: Briana Holman, Sr., NEB
S: Samantha Seliger-Swenson, Jr., MINN
F: Sydney Hilley, WIS
Sept. 11
P: Ali Frantti, Sr., PSU
D: Tionna Williams, Jr., WIS
S: Kelly Hunter, Sr., NEB
F: Hannah Gruensfelder, OSU
F: Dana Rettke, WIS
Sept. 18
P: Carly Skjodt, Jr., MICH
P: Simone Lee, Sr., PSU
D: Brandi Donnelly, Sr., ILL
S: Samantha Seliger-Swenson, Jr., MINN
F: Gabrielle Orr, IOWA
F: Stephanie Samedy, MINN
Sept. 25
P: Annika Albrecht, Sr., NEB
D: Autumn Bailey, Sr., MSU
D: Molly Lohman, Sr., MINN
S: Kelly Hunter, Sr., NEB
F: Dana Rettke, WIS
Oct. 2
P: Haleigh Washington, Sr., PSU
D: Claire Kieffer-Wright, Sr., MICH
S: Ashley Evans, Sr., PUR
F: Dana Rettke, WIS
Oct. 9
P: Haleigh Washington, Sr., PSU
D: Molly Lohman, Sr., MINN
S: Samantha Seliger-Swenson, Jr., MINN
F: Jasmyn Martin, MINN
Oct. 16
P: Alexis Hart, So., MINN
D: Kendall White, So., PSU
S: Samantha Seliger-Swenson, Jr., MINN
F: Megan Cooney, ILL
F: Dana Rettke, WIS
Oct. 23
P: Dana Rettke, Fr., WIS
D: Dalianliz Rosado, Sr., MINN
S: Rachel Minarick, Sr., MSU
F: Dana Rettke, WIS
Oct. 30
P: Mikaela Foecke, Sr., NEB
P: Haleigh Washington, Sr., PSU
D: Kendall White, So., PSU
S: Samantha Seliger-Swenson, Jr., MINN
F: Dana Rettke, WIS
Nov. 6
P: Stephanie Samedy, Fr., MINN
D: Brandi Donnelly, Sr., ILL
D: Kendall White, So., PSU
S: Jordyn Poulter, Jr., ILL
F: Stephanie Samedy, Fr., MINN
