Aug. 31, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State women's volleyball outside hitter Darcy Dorton (Muncie, Ind.) had been named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week, conference officials announced Monday. This is the first year the Big Ten will honor Freshman of the Week in volleyball.
Dorton appeared in all three matches at the Active Ankle Challenge hosted by Saint Louis University this past weekend. She helped guide Penn State to three 3-0 wins, including one against No. 20 Saint Louis. She led the Nittany Lions in her first collegiate match against Miami University (Ohio) Friday, Aug. 28 with 15 kills while hitting at a .565 clip. She also tallied two block assists against the RedHawks. Saturday afternoon, Dorton tallied seven kills and two block assists against Alabama and closed out the weekend with 11 kills on .368 hitting and three block assists against the Billikens Saturday night.
At the conclusion of the tournament, Dorton ranks second on the team with 33 kills (3.67 kps) and is tied for third on the team with seven total blocks.
Dorton was a very decorated high school and club player. In addition to earning four letters at Delta High School in Muncie, Ind., Dorton was a three-time AAU 18 Open All-American and a JVDA 18 Open All-American. She captained the Junior National Team that won the 2008 NORCECA Championship and was a member of both the 2009 AAU 18 Open National Champions and the 2009 JVDA 18 Open National Champions.
Penn State hosts the Nittany Lion Invitational on Sept. 4-5. The Nittany Lions take on Buffalo in their home opener on Friday, Sept. 4 at 7 p.m. in Rec Hall. On Saturday, Penn State faces Robert Morris at 10 a.m. followed by Pittsburgh at 7 p.m.