The USA women won again, beating Cuba, and Monday was the day conferences announced their players of the week. All the links and more follow. We don’t have all the conferences, but it’s a good first-week-of-the-season effort.
USA 3, Cuba 0
The top-ranked U.S. Women’s National Team won its sixth straight match of the FIVB World Cup by defeating NORCECA rival Cuba 25-15, 25-11, 25-15 Tuesday evening in Okayama, Japan, before moving on to Nagoya for three important final matches to decide the top two teams who earn 2016 Olympic Games berths.
Team USA, in first place of the FIVB World Cup leading a pack of one-loss teams, improved to 7-1 with 22 points in the round-robin tournament. After two off days, Team USA concludes the World Cup in Nagoya with pivotal matches against Russia on Sept. 4, Japan on Sept. 5 and Dominican Republic on Sept. 6. Entering today’s matches, Japan is second in the standings and Russia is third. The top two teams in the 12-team, round-robin World Cup earn berths into the 2016 Olympic Games.
ACC: Walch, Walsh
That’s not a typo, because it really was Walch and Walsh. The ACC tabbed Florida State outside hitter Nicole Walch and Virginia middle hitter Anna Walsh along with Syracuse outside hitter Silvi Uattara for various honors.
SEC: Two from Ole Miss
The Southeastern Conference honored Nakeyta Clair of Ole Miss, Rhamat Alhassan of Florida, Aubrie Edie of Ole Miss and Brenna McIlroy of Auburn.
BIG TEN: Illini come up big
Illinois dominated the Big Ten honors as the league recognized Michelle Streak, Jordyn Poulter and Brandi Donnelly along with Kelly Hunter of Nebraska.
BIG 12: All from the state of Texas
The league honored TCU’s Regan McGuire, Texas Tech’s Carlie Foust and Texas’ Morgan Johnson.
PAC-12
USC’s Samantha Bricio, Arizona’s Kalei Mau and Stanford’s Hayley Hodson took top honors.
SUN BELT
Arkansas State’s Markie Schaedig and Carlisa May, UT Arlington’s Stacey Koch and Appalachian State’s Paige Brown earned the awards.
https://sunbeltsports.org/custompages/WVolleyball/releases/2015/WeeklyRelease8-31-15.pdf
BIG SOUTH
Radford’s Maddie Palmer and Haley Kleepsies, Gardner-Webb’s Anna Pashkova got the nods.
BIG WEST
Hawai’i’s Nikki Taylor, Cal Poly’s Adlee Van Winden and Long Beach State’s Mykah Wilson had big weekends.
MISSOURI VALLEY
The league honored Abbie Lehman of Wichita State, Lea Sack of Bradley, Ashley Ophoven of Missouri State.
