Creighton Sweeps #BIGEASTvb Weekly Awards
NEW YORK – After week three of BIG EAST volleyball action, the Creighton Bluejay pair of outside hitter Keeley Davis and libero Brittany Witt were named this week’s BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week and Defensive Player of the Week, respectively. Davis picked up her sixth consecutive Freshman of the Week honor as well. Witt has been recognized by the conference office for her performance four times in 2019.
Offensive Player of the Week/Freshman of the Week
Keeley Davis, Creighton, Fr., OH (Highlands Ranch, Colo.)
Davis led all BIG EAST players with 4.75 kills per set, hitting .370 to help Creighton to a 2-0 road trip with wins at DePaul and then-No. 10 Marquette. The rookie out of Highlands Ranch, Colo., posted seven kills, five digs and an ace in a 3-0 win at DePaul. In the Bluejays’ top-15 showdown at then-No. 10 Marquette, Davis exploded for a BIG EAST season-high 31 kills to lead Creighton to a 3-2 victory. The outside hitter added seven digs, two aces and a block to complete an all-around performance for the Bluejays. Davis’ 31 kills against Marquette marked the most of any BIG EAST player since 2016 and was just one short of tying Creighton’s program-record.
Defensive Player of the Week
Brittany Witt, Creighton, Sr., L (Omaha, Neb.)
Witt earns her fourth BIG EAST recognition of the 2019 season after leading all BIG EAST players with 5.50 digs per set last week, helping Creighton to a 2-0 weekend with wins against DePaul and No. 10 Marquette. The senior opened weekend competition with nine digs and a season-best four aces in a 3-0 sweep at DePaul. In a top-15 showdown at No. 10 Marquette, Witt had a career-high 35 digs in a 3-2 win for the Bluejays. Witt's 35 digs were the most by a Bluejay since 2012, and just three shy of the program record for a single match. The senior's weekend performance moved her to the top of the digs per set category in both league matches with 5.48 and all games at 5.10.
Honor Roll
Brooke Gregory, Butler, Sr., MB/OH (Brownsburg, Ind.)
Gregory lifted Butler to a 2-0 weekend to move the Bulldogs to third in the league standings. The senior was second in the BIG EAST in blocks per set at 1.57 to go along with an average of 2.71 kills per set. Gregory posted 11 kills and eight blocks in a sweep of visiting St. John’s, before recording eight kills on .667 hitting in a sweep of Seton Hall.
Allie Barber, Marquette, Sr., OH (Cedarburg, Wis.)
Barber paced the Golden Eagles attack in a 1-1 weekend for Marquette. The senior was second in the BIG EAST in kills last week with an average of 4.25 per set while hitting at an average mark of .429 hitting percentage for second best in the conference. Barber collected 11 kills with 0 errors to hit a blistering .668 in a sweep of Providence, before 23 kills and five digs in a 3-2 setback against then-No. 13 Creighton.
Erica Di Maulo, St. John’s, Sr., S (Milan, Italy)
Di Maulo anchored the Red Storm offense in a 2-1 week for St. John’s. The senior setter held the second best assists per set average in the BIG EAST with 10.10. Di Maulo posted three double-doubles last week with 33 assists and 10 digs in a sweep of Villanova, 32 assists and 17 digs in a setback against Butler and 36 assists and 13 digs in a win over Xavier. Di Maulo is now second in program history in all-time assists with 4,474 helpers.
Amanda Sanabia, St. John’s, Sr., L (Annapolis, Md.)
Sanabia lifted the Red Storm to a 2-1 week with wins against Villanova and Xavier. The senior collected a BIG EAST second-best 5.20 digs per set on the week highlighted by a game-high 24 dig performance against Butler.
Jayda Carlton, Xavier, So., MB (Harrisburg, N.C.)
Carlton led the BIG EAST in blocks per set last week with 1.83. The sophomore recorded seven blocks in a setback to St. John’s to go along with three kills and four digs. Carlton hit at a .467 clip with nine kills and four blocks in the Musketeers win over Seton Hall.