NEW YORK – Marquette’s Allie Barber and Butler’s Elizabeth LaBue repeat as BIG EAST Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively. Barber picks up her fifth recognition of the season after a 2-0 week for the then-No. 11 Golden Eagles while LaBue claims her second weekly honor in a 1-1 weekend for the fourth-place Bulldogs. Xavier’s Lauren Hanlon was tabbed Freshman of the Week for the second time this season with the first honor coming on Sept. 3.
Offensive Player of the Week
Allie Barber, Marquette, Sr., OH (Cedarburg, Wis.)
Barber led then-No. 11 Marquette to a 2-0 road weekend with a league-leading average of 5.43 kills per set. The senior tallied 18 kills on 42 swings at a .238 clip in a four-set triumph over St. John’s to go along with one service ace. Barber turned in 20 kills with just two errors to hit .474 in a sweep of Seton Hall. Barber’s performance against the Pirates was just one kill shy of her career high in three-set matches. The Senior CLASS award finalist ranks sixth nationally in kills at 380 on the season.
Defensive Player of the Week
Elizabeth LaBue, Butler, So., L (Wheaton, Ill.)
LaBue repeats as BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week with a 5.88 digs per set average in a 1-1 weekend for the Bulldogs. The sophomore libero led the BIG EAST last week with 47 total digs over two matches including a career-high 32 digs in a setback against Villanova. On Sunday, LaBue and Butler swept Georgetown to claim their sixth conference win of the season. The sophomore led the team with 15 digs in the match, pushing her career total to 601.
Freshman of the Week
Lauren Hanlon, Xavier, Fr., OH (Woodstock, Ill.)
Hanlon picks up her second Freshman of the Week honor this season after a 1-1 week for the Musketeers. Hanlon averaged 2.88 kills per set at a .314 hitting percentage to lead Xavier. The rookie posted a team-high 12 kills in Friday night’s win over Georgetown to go along with three blocks. Hanlon followed Friday’s performance with another team-high 11 kills at a .304 clip in a three-set setback to Villanova. Hanlon leads all Musketeers with 182 kills on the season.
Honor Roll
Jaela Zimmerman, Creighton, So., OH (Lincoln, Neb.)
Zimmerman paced the then-No. 10 Bluejays in a 2-0 week with consecutive sweeps over Providence. The outside hitter averaged 3.67 kills and 3.00 digs on the week including an all-around performance of nine kills, six digs, two blocks and two service aces on Friday night. The sophomore followed-up with her fourth double-double of the season with 13 kills and 12 digs on season best .520 hitting.
Hope Werch, Marquette, Jr., OH (Neenah, Wis.)
Werch lifted the Golden Eagles to a 2-0 road weekend with wins at St. John’s and Seton Hall. The junior recorded 15 kills to go along with 12 digs and three blocks in a four-set victory over St. John’s. Werch tallied 12 kills and 15 digs as well as two service aces in MU’s sweep over Seton Hall.
Erica Di Maulo, St. John’s., Sr., S (Milan, Italy)
Di Maulo paced the Red Storm offense with an average of 10.88 assists per set after notching 87 helpers across two matches. Di Maulo posted 44 assists, six digs, two kills and one service ace in St. John’s four-set loss to then-No. 11 Marquette on Friday night. The senior setter registered 43 assists, five kills and four service aces in the Johnnies’ 3-1 win over DePaul on Saturday. Di Maulo now holds the program record for service aces with 138.
Regan Lough, Villanova, Sr., L (Riverside, Calif.)
Lough posted 5.12 digs per set in the Wildcats’ 2-0 weekend with wins over Butler and Xavier. The senior’s 24 digs against Butler was her third highest mark of the season. During the Butler match, Lough moved to No. 2 in program history for total digs with 1,732.
Jayda Carlton, Xavier, So., MB (Harrisburg, N.C.)
Carlton controlled the net for the Musketeers in a 1-1 week. The sophomore posted a total of 12 blocks on the weekend including eight in a win over Georgetown to go along with her eight kills on .600 hitting. Carlton leads the BIG EAST in blocks with a total of 98 stuffs.