Nia McCardell Named AAC Defensive Player of the Week
8/28/2023 3:00:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Emilia Weske named to the AAC Honor Roll.
HOUSTON — After helping then-No. 23 Rice Volleyball team to a 2-0 start, including a sweep of No. 22 USC, senior libero Nia McCardell was named the American Defensive Player of the Week while graduate student right side Emilia Weske was named to the Honor Roll.
McCardell began the week against Southern Miss, recording a team-high 16 digs while adding seven assists and a match-high three aces. One day later, she had a match-high 18 digs while adding four assists in a sweep of No. 22 USC. For the week, she recorded 34 digs, 11 assists and three aces, averaging 4.86 digs per set and 1.57 assists per set.
The honor was McCardell's first as a member of the AAC, but her fifth overall Defensive Player of the Week award, as she won it four times in Conference USA.
Weske averaged 4.00 kills per set, 0.57 aces per set and 4.71 points per set. She opened the week by recording a team-high 17 kills and a match-high 19.0 points while hitting .342 against Southern Miss. She added an assist and an ace while contributing 12 digs and two blocks. A day later, she had 11 kills and a match-best three aces while recording 14.0 points against USC. For the week, she had 28 kills, four aces, hit .267 and 33 digs.
No. 18 Rice (2-0) returns to action tomorrow night, Aug. 29, when it closes its season-opening homestand against Louisiana (2-1). First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be streamed at ESPN+.
McCardell began the week against Southern Miss, recording a team-high 16 digs while adding seven assists and a match-high three aces. One day later, she had a match-high 18 digs while adding four assists in a sweep of No. 22 USC. For the week, she recorded 34 digs, 11 assists and three aces, averaging 4.86 digs per set and 1.57 assists per set.
The honor was McCardell's first as a member of the AAC, but her fifth overall Defensive Player of the Week award, as she won it four times in Conference USA.
Weske averaged 4.00 kills per set, 0.57 aces per set and 4.71 points per set. She opened the week by recording a team-high 17 kills and a match-high 19.0 points while hitting .342 against Southern Miss. She added an assist and an ace while contributing 12 digs and two blocks. A day later, she had 11 kills and a match-best three aces while recording 14.0 points against USC. For the week, she had 28 kills, four aces, hit .267 and 33 digs.
No. 18 Rice (2-0) returns to action tomorrow night, Aug. 29, when it closes its season-opening homestand against Louisiana (2-1). First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be streamed at ESPN+.
Players Mentioned
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