CAA Volleyball Weekly Awards – Oct. 2
Hunter Peters
RICHMOND, Va. (Oct. 2, 2023) – The CAA has announced its volleyball weekly award winners following the sixth week of the 2023 season. Towson sophomore setter Sarah Jordan was named CAA Offensive Player of the Week, and Charleston junior libero Tynley Smeltzer earned back-to-back CAA Defensive Player of the Week accolades. In addition, Northeastern freshman outside hitter Abby Reck received her league-leading third CAA Rookie of the Week honor.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sarah Jordan, Towson
Sophomore | Setter | Leesburg, Va. / Loudon County
Jordan averaged 10.63 assists per set, facilitating a Towson attack that hit .327 across back-to-back road wins over Hofstra. On Saturday, the sophomore setter tallied 31 assists with eight digs, three blocks and two kills. Jordan helped the Tigers hit .340 in the match as Towson opened the weekend with a straight-set victory. She followed the performance with her fifth double-double this season, recording 54 assists and 12 digs in a five-set win on Sunday. Jordan added six kills on a .500 hitting percentage, with Towson hitting .319 as a team in the match. For the week, Jordan totaled 85 assists, 20 digs, eight kills, and four blocks.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Tynley Smeltzer, Charleston
Junior | Libero | Savannah, Ga. / Calvary Day School
Smeltzer continued an impressive stretch, anchoring the Charleston backline with 5.56 digs per set in a weekend split against Delaware. The junior libero tallied 50 digs and posted a .926 serve-receive percentage as the Cougars held the Blue Hens under .200 hitting for the weekend. On Saturday, Smeltzer recorded a match-high 25 digs, adding five assists offensively, in a four-set victory for Charleston. In the weekend finale, the junior libero paced the Cougars with 25 digs and contributed four assists despite a setback in five sets. Smeltzer has reached double-digit digs in six straight matches, including 20 or more in five of the past six.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Abby Reck, Northeastern
Freshman | Outside Hitter | Northville, Mich. / Northville
Reck recorded 3.67 kills, 2.22 digs and 1.00 blocks per set, leading Northeastern to a 2-0 weekend. The freshman outside hitter tallied 33 kills on a .265 hitting percentage with 20 digs and nine blocks in back-to-back wins over Elon. On Saturday, Reck recorded her third double-double this fall with a match-high 17 kills and 11 digs, adding three service aces and three blocks in a five-set victory. On Sunday, she paced the Huskies with 16 kills, hitting .325, with nine digs and six blocks as Northeastern down the Phoenix in four sets.
2023 CAA VOLLEYBALL WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS
Offensive Player of the Week
Aug. 28: Naiya Sawtelle, North Carolina A&T
Sept. 4: Irbe Lazda, Towson
Sept. 11: Beatriz Alves, Hofstra
Sept. 18: Taylor Burrell, William & Mary; Izadora Stedile, Hofstra
Sept. 25: Naiya Sawtelle, North Carolina A&T
Oct. 2: Sarah Jordan, Towson
Defensive Player of the Week
Aug. 28: Irbe Lazda, Towson
Sept. 4: Olivia Esposito, William & Mary; Asia Murray, Delaware
Sept. 11: Claranne Fechter, Campbell
Sept. 18: Nyla Shepherd, Northeastern
Sept. 25: Grace Melnick, UNCW; Tynley Smeltzer, Charleston
Oct. 2: Tynley Smeltzer, Charleston
Rookie of the Week
Aug. 28: Beatriz Braga, Hofstra; Asia Murray, Delaware
Sept. 4: Abby Reck, Northeastern
Sept. 11: Abby Reck, Northeastern
Sept. 18: Cameron Lanier, Elon
Sept. 25: Kaili Doctor, North Carolina A&T
Oct. 2: Abby Reck, Northeastern
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