NEW YORK – Efrosini Alexakou earns BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week, the first for St. John’s this season, while Creighton’s Megan Ballenger claims BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in her career. Keeley Davis of Creighton collects her third consecutive Freshman of the Week award heading into the first weekend of conference action.
Offensive Player of the Week
Efrosini Alexakou, St. John’s, So., OH (Thessaloniki, Greece)
Efrosini Alexakou led the BIG EAST in kills per set (5.12) and points per set (5.50) in a 2-0 weekend for St. John’s. Alexakou powered the Red Storm past then-No. 14 Oregon on Thursday evening with a conference-high performance of 28 kills on .460 hitting. The sophomore outside hitter recorded a double-double on Saturday afternoon in the Johnnies’ four-set win over 2018 NCAA Tournament participant Duke, with 13 kills to go along with 11 digs.
Defensive Player of the Week
Megan Ballenger, Creighton, Sr., MB, (Ankeny, Iowa)
Megan Ballenger led the BIG EAST in blocks this weekend with 2.83 per set to help then-No. 15 Creighton to a pair of 3-0 sweeps and the title at last weekend's Creighton Classic. Ballenger and the Creighton defense held Wichita State to .011 hitting on Thursday evening while allowing Wyoming to hit at a .055 clip. In Thursday’s match against the Shockers, the senior recorded eight blocks, five kills and two digs. On Saturday, Ballenger set a career high with nine blocks in a sweep over Wyoming.
Freshman of the Week
Keeley Davis, Creighton, Fr., OH (Highlands Ranch, Colo.)
For the third consecutive week, Creighton’s Keeley Davis turned in the best performance among the league’s rookies. Davis earned All-Tournament Team honors at the Creighton Classic after averaging 3.67 kills per set on .327 hitting to go along with 1.00 dig per set in 3-0 wins over Wichita State and Wyoming. The outside hitter had 12 kills on .409 hitting in Creighton's sweep over Wichita State on Thursday, while adding two blocks and two digs. The rookie followed that up with 10 kills, four digs, three blocks and three aces in a 3-0 victory over Wyoming.
Honor Roll
Jaela Zimmerman, Creighton, So., OH (Lincoln, Neb.)
Zimmerman ranked third in the conference in kills per set (4.50) and points (5.00) in a 2-0 weekend for Creighton. The sophomore earned MVP honors in the Creighton Classic after 11 kills on .357 hitting in a win over Wichita State before a career-high 16 kill performance while hitting .448 against Wyoming.
Iva Vujosevic, Georgetown, Sr., OH (Bar, Montenegro)
Vujosevic led the Hoyas to four victories this weekend to stretch their win streak to seven matches. The senior was named MVP of the Hoya Invitational with an average of 3.57 kills per set to go along with 2.50 digs per set. The outside hitter recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 13 kills and 13 digs in a sweep over Howard.
Allie Barber, Marquette, Sr., OH (Cedarburg, Wis.)
Barber paced the Golden Eagles attack once more with an average of 5.00 kills per set and 5.35 points per set. The senior earned MVP honors as then-No. 8 Marquette team won the Hyatt Regency Marquette Invitational. Barber recorded 16 kills on one error to hit at a .417 clip in Friday’s win over Green Bay, while notching 17 kills on .464 hitting to go along with four blocks in a sweep of Saint Louis.
Martha Konovodoff, Marquette, Jr., L (Sugar Grove, Ill.)
Konovodoff earns her first weekly recognition of 2019 with an average of 5.50 digs per set to lead the Marquette back line. The senior libero helped the Golden Eagles hold opponents to an average of .150 hitting in a 3-0 weekend at the Hyatt Regency Marquette Invitational. Konovodoff recorded 28 digs in a four set victory over Northern Iowa in the tournament finale.
Regan Lough, Villanova, Sr., L (Riverside, Calif.)
Lough continues to pace the Wildcats defense. The senior libero averaged 6.29 digs per set to lead the conference this weekend. In another steadfast weekend, Lough recorded 25 digs in a four set win over Temple, and piled up 19 digs in a sweep over Delaware.