media source avatar
Big Ten CommunicationsPublished: 9/23/2024, Last updated: 9/23/2024
link picture
Copied!

Wisconsin, Oregon, Penn State and USC Claim Big Ten Weekly Volleyball Awards

Badgers’ Franklin, Ducks’ Ofoegbu, Nittany Lions’ Starck and Trojans’ Tuaniga and Livings receive weekly recognition

page picture

Player of the Week 
Sarah Franklin, Wisconsin 
Fifth-Year - OH– Lake Worth, Fla. – Major: Communications 

  • Helped the Badgers to a 3-0 week (vs. RV Marquette, Troy and Texas A&M), averaging 5.60 kills/set and a .427 hitting percentage (56-9-110) 

  • Against RV Marquette, Franklin had a career night and totaled 33 kills on 60 swings (33-2-60) with a .517 hitting percentage 

  • The 33 kills against the Golden Eagles set a program record for most kills in a match. The record was previously held by Dana Rettke from 2018. The 33 kills were also the most in any Big Ten match so far this season 

  • Against Texas A&M, Franklin recorded her fourth double-double of the season and 30th of her career with a 14 kill, 10 dig outing 

  • Added 2.80 digs/set and 0.70 blocks/set on the week 

  • Last Wisconsin Player of the Week: Sarah Franklin (Nov. 27, 2023) 

 

Defensive Player of the Week 
Onye Ofoegbu, Oregon 
RS-Sr. - MB – Cerritos, Calif. - Major: Psychology 

  • Registered 3.92 points/set, 2.67 kills/set, and 2.17 blocks/set during the Ducks’ 2-0 week against in-state opponents Portland State and Oregon State 

  • In Sunday’s non-conference finale against Oregon State, Ofoegbu tallied eight kills and eight blocks. The eight blocks tied a season-high and helped Ofoegbu surpass 400-career blocks 

  • Ofoegbu recorded eight kills and a match-high five blocks in a midweek road sweep at Portland State 

  • With Ofoegbu helping spearhead defensive efforts at the net, Oregon held its opponents to a combined .044 hitting percentage 

 

Setter of the Week 
Mia Tuaniga, USC 
Sr. – Long Beach, Calif. – Major: Communication 

  • Led USC to three wins in the Trojans/Lions Invitational (vs. LMU, UNLV and UC San Diego) 

  • Posted back-to-back double-doubles in wins over LMU and UNLV, recording 48 assists and 10 digs against LMU and 39 assists and 13 digs against UNLV. It was Tuaniga’s third and fourth double-double of the year and now has 32 in her career 

  • Guided the Trojans to a combined 13.08 kills/set and a .216 hitting percentage 

  • Tuaniga had three service aces against UNLV and four against UC San Diego for her 16th and 17th career matches with three aces or more  

 

Co-Freshman of the Week 
Izzy Starck, Penn State 
S – Viera, Fla. – Major: Undeclared 

  • Averaged 10.80 assists/set while leading Penn State to .309 hitting in matches against No. 1 Pitt, James Madison and Yale 

  • Added 1.10 kills, 2.30 digs and 0.50 blocks per set  

  • Earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team at the Penn State Classic after the wins over the Dukes and Bulldogs 

  • Led the Nittany Lions to .351 hitting in those two matches, averaging 11.71 assists and 2.43 digs/set 

  • Last Penn State Freshman of the Week: Izzy Starck (Sept. 9, 2024) 

Co-Freshman of the Week 
Jadyn Livings, USC 
OH – Dallas, Texas – Major: Public Relations and Advertising 

  • Averaged over 4 points per set (4.04 pps), helping USC to a 3-0 week and earning a spot on the Trojans/Lions All-Tournament Team 

  • Reached double-figures in kills and points in all three matches, tallying 16, 18 and 13 kills against LMU, UNLV and UC San Diego, respectively  

  • Earned a career-high 19.0 points against LMU and had her first-career double-double with 13 kills and 11 digs against UC San Diego 

 

2024 Big Ten Players of the Week 
Sept. 2 
P: Eva Hudson, Jr., PUR 
D: Rebekah Allick, Jr., NEB 
S: Bergen Reilly, So., NEB 
F: Izzy Starck, PSU  

Sept. 9 
P: Raina Terry, Gr., ILL 
D: Nalani Iosia, Sr., MSU 
S: Taylor Anderson, So., PUR 
F: Izzy Starck, PSU 

Sept. 16  
P: Emily Londot, Gr., OSU 
D: Raven Colvin, Sr., PUR 
S: Bergen Reilly, So., NEB 
F: Julia Hunt, WASH  

Sept. 23 
P: Sarah Franklin, Fifth-Year, WIS 
D: Onye Ofoegbu, RS-Sr.., ORE 
S: Mia Tuaniga, Sr., USC 
Co-F: Izzy Starck, PSU 
Co-F: Jadyn Livings, USC