Nov. 14, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State women's volleyball team (19-7, 12-4 Big Ten) picked up two Big Ten weekly awards as sophomore Deja McClendon (Louisville, Ky.) was named Big Ten Player of the Week and freshman Micha Hancock (Edmond, Okla.) earned Co-Freshman of the Week laurels. Hancock shares this week's honor with Michigan's Lexi Dannemiller. This is the first player of the week award for McClendon and the first weekly honor of Hancock's career.
McClendon and Hancock guided the Nittany Lions in a weekend where the team went 1-1 after visits to nationally-ranked Illinois and Northwestern. McClendon averaged 6.2 kills per set and 2.2 digs per set on .395 hitting after a 3-0 setback to Illinois and a 3-0 sweep of Northwestern. McClendon pounded 17 kills on .350 hitting with three digs, an ace and a block against the Illini. She went on to tally a double-double against the Wildcats with 20 kills on .439 hitting with 20 digs.
Hancock was the starting setter for the Nittany Lions in both matches over the weekend. She averaged 12.8 assists, 1.5 digs and 0.8 aces per set against the Illini and Wildcats. Against Illinois, Hancock notched 35 assists and three aces before helping the Nittany Lions to a .346 attack percentage with 42 assists and eight digs at Northwestern.
Penn State is back at home this weekend taking on Indiana on Friday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. and Purdue on Saturday, Nov. 19, also at 7 p.m. The Nittany Lions will honor the squad's two seniors, Katie Kabbes and Megan Shifflett prior to the match with the Boilermakers.
For more information on the Penn State women's volleyball team, please visit GoPSUsports.com. The Penn State women's volleyball 2011 season is presented by Rockvale Outlets.