DALLAS – Rice’s
Anota Andekunle, who averaged a .595 hitting percentage in six sets, North Texas’
Aleeyah Galdeira, who averaged 4.67 digs per set, Rice’s
Carly Graham, who had 59 total assists in 122 attempts and Middle Tennessee’s
Adri Rhoda, who had 26 kills in eight sets, earned this week’s Volleyball Player of the Week honors presented by
Blenders Eyewear.
C-USA Offensive Player of the Week – Anota Adekunle, Rice, 5Sr., Humble, Texas
Adekunle helped Rice to a dominant 2-0 record on the week, recording 24 kills, six blocks, a .595 hitting percentage and 20.0 points in a pair of sweeps. She opened the week at UTSA, connecting on nine kills and hitting .750 while recording four blocks. The Humble, Texas, native closed the week against UTEP in a battle of the second and third-place teams. She hit .520 while recording a match-high 15 kills. She also added two blocks. On the week, she averaged 4.0 kills per set. Adekunle is second in Conference USA in hitting percentage with .406.
C-USA Defensive Player of the Week – Aleeyah Galdeira, North Texas, Sr., Waimanalo, Hawaii
Galdeira’s defensive efforts were influential in North Texas’ 2-0 success this week. She led C-USA with 42 digs, finishing second at 4.67 digs per set. The senior added 10 assists and three aces in a pair of home victories. She entered the program's top 10 for single season digs with 439 on the year. Galdeira is fourth in the conference in digs per set with 4.57 digs.
C-USA Setter of the Week – Carly Graham, Rice, 5Sr., Spring, Texas
Graham led Rice to a 2-0 sweep on the week, recording 59 assists, 11 digs and four kills. She opened the week at UTSA, recording 28 assists and four digs. The Spring, Texas, native closed the week against UTEP in a battle of the second and third-place teams, recording 31 assists, the 16th time with at least 30 assists in a match. She also added seven digs. On the week, she averaged 9.83 assists per set. She is second in C-USA with 9.96 assists per set.
C-USA Freshman of the Week – Adri Rhoda, Middle Tennessee, Fr., Hutchinson, Minn.
Rhoda helped push the Blue Raiders to a 2-0 record this week with 26 kills on a .333 hitting percentage. Rhoda was a huge part of the reason Middle Tennessee had the second-highest team hitting percentage and aces per set in conference this week. Among freshmen Rhoda was first in kills, kill per set, hitting percentage, points and points per set. Rhoda now has 57 aces on the season which keeps her at second in the nation and is the third most in a season for a C-USA player. Rhoda only needs one more ace to make it into the program's top 10 list for career aces with 58.
2022 C-USA Offensive Players of the Week
A29 Emani’ Foster, Charlotte
S5 Emani’ Foster, Charlotte
S12 Ellie Bichelmeyer, Rice
S19 Paige Briggs, WKU
S26 Torrance Lovesee, UTEP
O3 Torrance Lovesee, UTEP
O10 Anota Adekunle, Rice
O17 Anota Adekunle, Rice
O24 Lauren Matthews, WKU
O31 Anota Adekunle, Rice
2022 C-USA Defensive Players of the Week
A29 Nia McCardell, Rice
S5 Nia McCardell, Rice
S12 Nia McCardell, Rice
S19 Lauren Matthews, WKU
S26 Nia McCardell, Rice
O3 Ava Camacho, UTSA
O10 Sh’Diamond Holly, North Texas
O17 Katie Isenbarger, WKU
O24 Erin Powers, UAB
O31 Aleeyah Galdeira, North Texas
2022 C-USA Setters of the Week
A29 Callie Bauer, WKU
S5 Taylor Eisert, Middle Tennessee
S12 Taylor Eisert, Middle Tennessee
S19 Carly Graham, Rice
S26 Callie Bauer, WKU
O3 Callie Bauer, WKU
O10 Carly Graham, Rice
O17 Carly Graham, Rice
O24 Mattie Gantt and Hande Yetis, UTEP
O31 Carly Graham, Rice
2022 C-USA Freshmen of the Week
A29 Sara Pustahija, UTEP
S5 Adri Rhoda, Middle Tennessee
S12 Adri Rhoda, Middle Tennessee
S19 Adri Rhoda, Middle Tennessee
S26 Kaya Weaver, UTEP
O3 Sara Pustahija, UTEP
O10 Sara Pustahija, UTEP
O17 Adri Rhoda, Middle Tennessee
O24 Sara Pustahija, UTEP
O31 Adri Rhoda, Middle Tennessee