UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's volleyball team saw junior libero Kendall White and freshman Serena Gray honored by the Big Ten Conference office for their play at Michigan State and Michigan as White was named the Defensive Player of the Week and Gray was named Freshman of the Week.
White led the team defensively over the weekend, helping hold the two opponents to a combined .120 hitting percentage. Against Michigan State, White scooped up 11 digs, while dishing out four assists and an ace. She also was perfect in serve receive and held Michigan State to just .082 hitting. Against Michigan, she scooped up 15 digs for 5.00 digs per set, adding one assist and helped hold the Wolverines to just .150 hitting.
Gray was a monster, both offensively and defensively, all weekend. Gray averaged 2.33 kills per set on .545 hitting percentage, while averaging 2.00 blocks per set. She also added three digs and finished with 20.0 points on the weekend. Against Michigan State, Gray put down five kills on .500 hitting, while adding a team-high six blocks. Against Michigan State, Gray was second in kills with nine, hitting .571. She again led the team with six blocks and added three digs.
White earns her first Defensive Player of the Week honor of the season, and the fourth of her career, while Gray garners her first career weekly honor, becoming the third Nittany Lion rookie to claim the Freshman of the Week honor this season. Kaitlyn Hord (9/10) and Jonni Parker (9/17) were both honored earlier this season.
White, Gray, and the rest of the Blue & White return home for the first time in over a month as they host Maryland at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, October 5.