Oct. 6, 2008
University Park, Pa. - Penn State women's volleyball senior outside hitter Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) has been named the Big Ten Player of the week for the third time this season, conference officials announced. It is the eighth career honor for Fawcett, which ties her for second all-time in Big Ten history. She trails only former Ohio State standout Stacey Gordon, who earned 16 career Big Ten Player of the Week honors from 2001-2004. Fawcett's accolade brings Penn State's total Big Ten Player of the Week citations to 61 since joining the conference for the 1991 season.
Fawcett recorded two more double-digit kill performances to help the top-ranked and undefeated Nittany Lions (16-0, 4-0) to two more Big Ten wins. On Wednesday at Indiana, the senior outside hitter posted 13 kills on .450 hitting with a match-high nine digs. On Saturday against Michigan State, Fawcett recorded a match-high 14 kills on .545 hitting with two assists, two aces and five digs.
For the week, Fawcett averaged 4.50 kills per game, racking up a team-high 27 kills on 42 swings with only six errors to hit .500, also adding in two aces and 14 digs, good for 2.33 digs per game, the second-highest dig total on the squad.
The Nittany Lions hit the road this weekend, traveling to Iowa and Minnesota on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 10-11. Penn State meets up with the Hawkeyes at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Friday at 7:00 p.m. CT before the Lions face the Golden Gophers at Williams Arena on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. CT in a match that will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network. Penn State returns home to host Michigan and Ohio State on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 17 and 18 at Rec Hall, which is also Homecoming weekend in Happy Valley.
For more information on the Penn State women's volleyball team, please visit www.GoPSUsports.com. The Penn State women's volleyball 2008 season is presented by Rockvale Outlets and The Outlets At Hershey.