Nebraska senior outside hitter Annika Albrecht and Michigan State outside Autumn Bailey paced their teams to upsets last week and earned Big Ten Player and Defensive Player of the Week nods for their efforts.
Minnesota middle blocker Molly Lohman, Nebraska setter Kelly Hunter and Wisconsin middle blocker Dana Rettke were also honored by the Big Ten, with Co-Defensive Player, Setter and Freshman of the Week accolades.
Albrecht put down 5.2 kills per set on a .379 hitting percentage, while also adding 1.7 digs per set in Nebraska’s wins over No. 2 Penn State and Rutgers. In a sweep of PSU, the North Aurora, Illinois, native notched a career and team-best 19 kills, hitting .400 and adding six digs and a team-high four blocks. Against Rutgers, the senior tallied a match-high 12 kills, four digs and a block.
Bailey managed 4.75 digs and 3.75 kills per set to lift the Spartans to road wins over No. 3 Minnesota and No. 5 Wisconsin. The Georgetown, Ontario, native posted double-doubles in both upsets, notching 16 kills and a career-best and match-high 25 digs against Wisconsin and following that with at 14-kill, 13-dig effort vs. Minnesota. The senior garners her first career Defensive Player of the Week honor.
Lohman earned her second career Co-Defensive Player of the Week accolade after putting up 2.9 blocks per set to go with 2.3 kills per set. The Mankato, Minnesota, native registered a school record 15 blocks and 10 kills, while hitting at an errorless .526 percentage against Michigan. Against Michigan State, the senior managed five blocks and six kills. Lohman was last honored by the league on Oct. 31, 2016.
Hunter dished out 12.3 assists per set, while guiding the Huskers to a .366 team hitting effort. The Papillion, Nebraska, native posted 39 assists, nine digs, six kills and a block in the team’s upset of No. 2 Penn State, while helping the team to a .347 hitting percentage. Against Rutgers, Hunter added 39 assists and nine digs.
Rettke notched her third Freshman of the Week honor after averaged 3.4 kills and 1.8 blocks per set, while hitting .367 against Michigan State and Michigan. In the loss to MSU, the Riverside, Illinois, native registered a career-best 19 kills, while hitting .412 and adding five blocks and two aces. Against No. 20 Michigan, the rookie tallied eight kills, five aces and nine blocks.
Dana Rettke – Wisconsin POW
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