Maryland, Minnesota and Wisconsin Capture Big Ten Weekly Volleyball Awards
Terrapins’ Gomillion, Gophers’ McGraw and Samedy and Badgers’ Hilley recognized as this week’s conference honorees
Player of the Week
Stephanie Samedy, Minnesota
Sr. – OPP – Clermont, Fla. – East Ridge – Major: Human Resources
• Averaged 4.44 kills and 3.33 digs per set with two double-doubles in leading No. 13 Minnesota to a pair of wins over top-15 opponents at the Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge last weekend in Eugene, Ore.
• Recorded 20 kills in both matches (giving her five in six outings this year), while adding 14 digs (and hitting .455) on Sept. 10 vs. No. 14 Stanford, and 16 digs in a five-set victory at No. 11 Oregon on Sept. 11
• Chosen as an Academic All-Big Ten selection in 2019 and was the Senior CLASS Award recipient in the sport of volleyball last season
• Earns her ninth career Player of the Week honor (fourth-most in Big Ten history) and first this season
• Last Minnesota Player of the Week: Stephanie Samedy (Feb. 15, 2021)
Defensive Player of the Week
CC McGraw, Minnesota
Grad. – L – Prior Lake, Minn. – Prior Lake – Graduate Major: Sport & Exercise Science
• Tallied 5.44 digs per set to anchor the Golden Gophers’ defense in victories over No. 14 Stanford and No. 11 Oregon last weekend at the Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge in Eugene, Ore.
• Collected a season-high 30 digs in the Sept. 11 win at Oregon, the first 30-dig match by a Big Ten player since Feb. 5, 2021 (Purdue’s Jena Otec – 31 vs. Minnesota)
• A two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree (2019, 2020)
• Garners her third career Defensive Player of the Week accolade
• Last Minnesota Defensive Player of the Week: Regan Pittman (March 15, 2021)
Setter of the Week
Sydney Hilley, Wisconsin
Grad. – S – Brooklyn Park, Minn. – Champlin Park – Graduate Major: Applied Biotechnology
• Registered 11.29 assists and 3.14 digs per set in pacing the second-ranked Badgers to wins over No. 8 (and defending national champion) Kentucky and Marquette last weekend
• Posted her second double-double this season (and 39th of her career) in the four-set victory over UK on Sept. 10, finishing with 44 assists and 13 digs
• Twice named a CoSIDA first-team Academic All-American (2019, 2020)
• A three-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten selection (2018, 2019, 2020)
• Collects her 14th career Setter of the Week plaudit (third-most in conference history) and second this year
• Last Wisconsin Setter of the Week: Sydney Hilley (Aug. 30, 2021)
Freshman of the Week
Milan Gomillion, Maryland
L – Bowie, Md. – Annapolis Area Christian School – Major: Undeclared
• Piled up 6.17 digs per set to pace the Terrapins to three wins and the tournament title at the Charm City Challenge last weekend in Baltimore, Md.
• Registered 21 digs in Sept. 10 victory over Quinnipiac, her third 20-dig outing of the season
• Helped Maryland open with a 9-0 record, the Terrapins’ best start since 2017
• Receives the second Freshman of the Week award of her career
• Last Maryland Freshman of the Week: Milan Gomillion (Sept. 6, 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