CAA Volleyball Weekly Awards – Aug. 31, 2026
Dylan Smith
RICHMOND, Va. – Hofstra’s
Beatriz Braga and
Geovanna Gonçalves Rocha picked up CAA Volleyball’s first Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week honors of the season, respectively, while North Carolina A&T’s
Kirsten Kemper nabbed Rookie of the Week recognition on Monday.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Beatriz Braga, Hofstra
Senior | OH | Uberlândia, Brazil
Braga was outstanding in the Pride’s 2-1 weekend at the Penn State Invitational, averaging 4.00 kills and 2.20 digs per set to go with a .346 hitting percentage. The outside hitter packed the stat sheet with 40 kills, 22 digs, seven blocks, five service aces and a trio of assists, earning all-tournament team honors for her efforts. The senior produced a 20-kill effort in the season-opening four-set win over High Point on Saturday, marking the eighth time in her career she eclipsed 20 slams. Braga swung an efficient .516 in the match to go with six digs, three service aces and a trio of blocks. She followed up with 14 kills and 10 digs for her first double-double of the season in the Pride’s sweep of UConn on Sunday. In the Pride's final match of the weekend, Braga had six kills, six digs and three blocks against the nationally ranked Nittany Lions.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Geovanna Gonçalves Rocha, Hofstra
Freshman | OH | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Gonçalves Rocha had a strong start to her Pride career as she was a force defensively for Hofstra in their three matches. The freshman totaled 16 blocks over Hofstra's three matches and added eight kills. The Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, native had at least five blocks in all three matches this weekend. She got started with six blocks and four kills against High Point. Gonçalves Rocha followed that up with five blocks and three kills in the sweep of Connecticut and then closed the weekend with five blocks against No. 10 Penn State.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Kirsten Kemper, N.C. A&T
Freshman | Setter | Cincinnati, Ohio
Kemper posted back-to-back double-doubles in her first two career collegiate matches, finishing the week with 6.00 assists and 2.67 digs per set. She also did not commit an attack error in six attempts and committed just one fault in her 208 setting attempts. The freshman helped the Aggies secure their first-ever win over Appalachian State in 10 tries with 32 assists, 11 digs, two kills, one service ace and one solo block in the team’s five-set victory at the Charlotte Invitational. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native followed up with 27 assists, 13 digs and an ace to lift N.C. A&T to a four-set win over Bryant. In the tournament finale against Charlotte, she chipped in 13 assists and eight digs.
2025 CAA VOLLEYBALL WEEKLY AWARDS
Offensive Player of the Week
Aug. 31: Beatriz Braga, Hofstra
Defensive Player of the Week
Aug. 31: Geovanna Gonçalves Rocha, Hofstra
Rookie of the Week
Aug. 31: Kirsten Kemper, N.C. A&T
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