ECAC Announces Women's Volleyball Players of the Month for September 2021
DANBURY, Conn. – The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) has announced the Women's Volleyball Players of the Month for September 2021.
Division II
Offensive Player of the Month
Kambel Fiser, Fr., Setter, Adelphi University
Fiser earned NE10 Setter of the Week honors one time in September as she leads team in assists with 381 as a freshman. She has four double-doubles in the month of September
Defensive Player of the Month
Jamie Yonker, Sr., Libero, Adelphi University
Yonker was named Northeast-10 Conference Libero of the Week a whopping three times in September as she leads the NE10 in total digs through the month (278) and is third in the league in digs per set with 5.15.
Rookie of the Month
Delaney Kiendra, Fr., MB/RS, Adelphi University
Kiendra ranks second on the team in total kills (135) and 11th amongst all NE10 conference players. Her best showing came when she set a career-high of 20 kills in 5-set loss to GCU.
Division III – North
Offensive Player of the Month
Natalie Piper, Sr., Oh/Rs, St. Lawrence University
Piper leads St. Lawrence in many categories including points (210), points per set (4.67), kills (174), and kills per set (3.87). She leads the conference in service aces (33) and is second in points and kills. Piper was named Liberty League Performer of the Week once and to the Honor Roll twice.
Defensive Player of the Month
Darian Ortiz, Jr., Libero, Alfred University
Ortiz the Saxons in aces with 22 and adds three kills for 25.0 points on the season. She leads the Empire 8 in digs per set (5.04) and is second in digs (247). Ortiz earned Empire 8 Co-Player of the Week on September 20 as a libero/defensive specialist. Named the 2021 Buffalo State Bengal Challenge Most Valuable Player and part of the All-Tournament Team after helping the Saxons sweep the tournament for the first time since 2000. She has five matches of 20 or more digs including a school-record tying 38 digs in a five-set match as they defeated Buffalo State College.
Rookie of the Month
Anjoeline Armstrong, Fr., Defensive Specialist, Alfred University
Armstrong is third on the team in digs with 143. Helped the Saxons sweep the Buffalo State Bengal Challenge tournament, making it the first tournament sweep since 2000. She is fourth on the team in aces and has been the best backline player for the Saxons on serve-receive, keeping reception errors down to only 12.
Division III – South
Offensive Player of the Month
Kayla Moran, Jr., Setter, Penn State - Altoona
Moran was named AMCC Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 20 as she leads the AMCC in assists per set (9.19) and is third in total assists (248).
Defensive Player of the Month
Becky Adelman, Sr., Westminster College
Adelman did it all for Westminster as she ranks second in the conference in total blocks (55) and total points. She would tack on 72 digs for 1.2 digs per set. For her efforts she earned Offensive Player of the Week for September 1-6.
Rookie of the Month
Mya Lathem, Fr., OH/DS, Grove City College
Lathem began the season as the starting outside hitter but moved to libero after seven matches and the team has responded with a 6-2 record with her at libero. She recorded 35 digs in 3-1 win over longtime conference rival Geneva ranks 5th in conference in dig average, posting 5.02 digs per set.
Division III – Metro
Offensive Player of the Month
Haley Holz, Jr., Outside Hitter, New York University
Haley Holz, a two-time UAA Offensive Athlete of the Week, leads the UAA in kills/set with 3.34 and is second in the UAA in hitting percentage with .347. In total Holz post 137 kills in the month of September.
Defensive Player of the Month
Grace Ballagas, Fr., Libero, Manhattanville College
Ballagas has dominated the Skyline Libero of the Week award, winning it three times in September. She is the team leader in digs with 126 and leads the Skyline Conference in digs per set with 5.04.
Rookie of the Month
Ayla Ruiz, Fr., Outside Hitter, Manhattanville College
Like her teammate Grace Ballagas, Ruiz was also all over the Skyline Conference awards, winning Rookie of the Week twice. She is the team leader in kills (73) and aces (17) and is currently second in the Skyline Conference in kills, aces, and points per set (5.03).
ABOUT THE ECAC
The ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) is an eighty-two-year-old organization with well over 200 member schools across all three NCAA Divisions - I, II and III. The ECAC exists to enhance the experience of student-athletes participating in intercollegiate athletics and provides great value for universities and colleges by sponsoring championships, leagues, bowl games, tournaments and other competitions throughout the Northeast. The ECAC's esports platform is growing and now totals more than sixty colleges and universities and is expanding the geographic footprint for the conference nationally. The ECAC is also sponsoring competitions and leagues involving other varsity and club sports that do not fall under the umbrella of the NCAA.
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