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Big Ten CommunicationsPublished: 11/4/2024, Last updated: 11/4/2024
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USC, Purdue and Penn State Earn Big Ten Weekly Volleyball Awards

Trojans’ Batenhorst and Tuaniga, Boilermakers’ Hornung and Nittany Lions’ Starck claim weekly honors

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Player of the Week 
Ally Batenhorst, USC 
Gr. - OH– Houston, Texas – Master’s: Digital Media Management 

  • Produced her 6th and 7th double-doubles of the season (8th and 9th of her career) 

  • Powered the USC offense with 16 kills and .536 hitting in a sweep of UCLA to go with 10 digs and two blocks for 17.5 points 

  • Added 10 kills, 10 digs and three blocks in a four-set win over Washington  

  • Ended the week with a combined .344 hitting percentage (26 kills, 61 attempts)  

  • Received serve 35 times for the Trojans and had a .914 reception percentage  

  • Batenhorst is the first USC player to be named Big Ten Player of the Week 

 

Defensive Player of the Week 
Ali Hornung, Purdue 
Sr. - L – New Albany, Ind. - Major: Hospitality & Tourism Management 

  • Helped Purdue to a 2-0 week with sweeps over Maryland and Rutgers, averaging 5.71 digs per set with 31 digs in six sets of action 

  • Helped guide Purdue to a conference-leading 17.67 digs per set, posting 17 digs at Maryland and 14 at Rutgers 

  • Hornung made zero reception errors in both matches, seeing 21 at Maryland and 20 at Rutgers 

  • Helped the Boilermaker defense hold opponents to a .159 average opponent hitting percentage 

  • Also tallied one ace in each of the wins 

  • Last Purdue Defensive Player of the Week: Ali Hornung (Oct. 7, 2024) 

 

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

  • Put up 40 and 37 assists, averaging 11.00 assists per set, guiding USC to its fifth and sixth matches over .300 hitting this season in a pair of wins over UCLA and Washington  

  • Had eight digs against UCLA and 11 against Washington for her seventh double-double of the season  

  • Served five aces against Washington for her 19th career match with three or more aces and her fifth with five or more in the same match  

  • Moved into 4th place at USC in career service aces (146) and third overall in career assists (4,158)  

  • Last USC Setter of the Week: Mia Tuaniga (Sept. 23, 2024) 

 

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

  • Averaged 10.71 assists per set while leading Penn State to .313 hitting and added 3.00 digs per set as the Nittany Lions improved to 12-0 in the Big Ten with wins over Michigan and Iowa at Rec Hall  

  • Recorded her 10th double-double of the season in a sweep of Michigan on Wednesday, finishing with 26 assists and 14 digs while helping the team hit .300 

  • Piled up 49 assists and added seven digs and four blocks while guiding Penn State to .321 hitting in a four-set win over the Hawkeyes  

  • Earns her sixth Freshman of the Week honor this season  

  • Last Penn State Freshman of the Week: Izzy Starck (Oct. 28, 2024) 

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 
Sept. 30 
Co-P: Jess Mruzik, Gr., PSU 
Co-P: Alissa Kinkela, RS-Jr., RU 
D: Lexi Rodriguez, Sr., NEB 
S: Izzy Starck, Fr., PSU 
F: Malu Garcia, IOWA 
Oct. 7 
P:Jess Mruzik, Gr., PSU 
Co-D: Rebekah Allick, Jr., NEB 
Co-D: Ali Hornung, Sr., PUR 
S: Morgan Burke, So., MICH 
F: Charlie Fuerbringer, WIS 
Oct. 14 
P: Mimi Colyer, Jr., ORE 
D: Phoebe Awoleye, RS-Sr., MINN 
S: Bergen Reilly, So., NEB 
F: Izzy Starck, PSU 
Oct. 21 
P: Jess Mruzik, Gr., PSU 
D: Carter Booth, Jr., WIS 
S: Izzy Starck, Fr., PSU 
F: Cristin Cline, ORE 
Oct. 28 
P: Julia Hanson, Jr., MINN 
D: Andi Jackson, So., NEB 
S/F: Izzy Starck, Fr., PSU 
Nov. 4 
P: Ally Batenhorst, Gr., USC 
D: Ali Hornung, Sr., PUR 
S: Mia Tuaniga, Sr., USC 
F: Izzy Starck, PSU