IUPUI’s Mapes and Howard, IPFW’s Wrede Capture #SummitVB Awards

11/10/2014 12:00:00 AM

ELMHURST, Ill. – IUPUI's Alexis Mapes was named The Summit League's Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week, while Fort Wayne's Anna Wrede and IUPUI's Beth Howard were tabbed Defensive Players of the Week for their performances Nov. 3-9.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Alexis Mapes, IUPUI
So. // S // Westfield, Ind.
Mapes collects her first career Offensive Player of the Week honor and second overall weekly award of the season. She was named Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 13, and is the first player since 2012 to earn both awards in the same season. The sophomore setter guided IUPUI to a pair of league sweeps over Omaha and North Dakota State to extend the Jaguars' winning streak to nine matches. Against the Mavericks, she dished out 44 assists and led the Jaguar offense to a .356 team hitting percentage, while adding seven digs, two kills and two service aces. The following night vs. the Bison, the Westfield, Ind., native recorded 31 assists, 13 digs and three kills. For the week, Mapes posted 75 assists, averaging 12.50 per set, more than 0.50 ahead of the NCAA leader. She also added 20 digs (3.33 dps), five kills with no errors in eight attempts for a .625 clip, two service aces and one block.

Also nominated: Moni Corrujedo, Denver; Emily Spencer, Fort Wayne; Jenni Fassbender, North Dakota State; Kelley Wollak, Omaha; Laura Milos, Oral Roberts; Brittany Jessen, South Dakota; Ann Miller, Western Illinois.

Previous honorees: Sept. 2 – Laura Milos, Oral Roberts; Sept. 8 – Emily Spencer, Fort Wayne; Sept. 15 – Kendall Kritenbrink, South Dakota; Sept. 22 – Bailey Karst, Denver; Sept. 29 – Nola Basey, Denver; Oct. 6 – Nola Basey, Denver; Oct. 13 – Kaitlyn Hickey, IUPUI; Oct. 20 – Michaela Schimmer, Omaha; Oct. 27 – Samantha Fournier, Western Illinois; Nov. 3 – Emily Spencer, Fort Wayne.

DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Anna Wrede, Fort Wayne
Jr. // MH // Seukendorf, Germany
Wrede claims Defensive Player of the Week honors for the second time of the season and her career after helping the Mastodons to an undefeated (2-0) weekend in league play. She led all players in blocks in both matches. The middle hitter tallied five blocks in the sweep of South Dakota State and recorded nine, including the match-winner in the five-set win over Omaha. On the week, Wrede amassed 14 blocks, 12 block assists and two solo blocks, averaging 1.75 blocks per set, over 0.50 better than the league leader.

Beth Howard, IUPUI
Sr. // DS // Fort Wayne, Ind.
Howard earns her fifth career Defensive Player of the Week award and second of the season after helping the Jaguars to a pair of sweeps in league play to extend IUPUI's winning streak to nine matches. The defensive specialist posted 16 digs and two service aces against Omaha before tallying 19 digs and six assists vs. North Dakota State. For the week, Howard recorded 35 digs and averaged 5.83 per set, nearly 1.40 more digs per set than the league leader. She also chipped in seven assists and three service aces.

Also nominated: Sarah Schmid, Denver; Emily Milligan, North Dakota State; Sydney O'Shaughnessy, Omaha; Lucija Bojanjac, Oral Roberts; Melissa Firtko, South Dakota.

Previous honoree: Sept. 2 – Kate Acker, Denver/Hailie Ripley, Fort Wayne; Sept. 8 – Melissa Firtko, South Dakota; Sept. 15 – Anna Wrede, Fort Wayne; Sept. 22 – Riley Haug, South Dakota; Sept. 29 – Beth Howard, IUPUI; Oct. 6 – Riley Haug, South Dakota; Oct. 13 – Alexis Mapes, IUPUI/Melissa Firtko, South Dakota; Oct. 20 – Riley Haug, South Dakota; Oct. 27 – Melissa Firtko, South Dakota; Nov. 3 – Emily Miron, North Dakota State.

ABOUT THE SUMMIT LEAGUE
In its fourth decade of Division I athletics, The Summit League offers 19 championship sports and has a combined enrollment of over 120,000 at nine institutions, including four located in top 60 U.S. metro populations and two land-grant universities. Member institutions include: Denver (University of Denver), Fort Wayne (Indiana University-Purdue University-Fort Wayne), IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis), North Dakota State University, Omaha (University of Nebraska Omaha), Oral Roberts University, the University of South Dakota, South Dakota State University and Western Illinois University. Previously known as the Mid-Continent Conference, The Summit League rebranded in 2007 and has since produced eight NCAA Champions along with over 65 All-Americans, 60 Academic All-America selections and numerous former student-athletes competing at the highest professional level. For more information about the league and to "See The Summit", visit www.thesummitleague.org, follow on Twitter @thesummitleague, download The Summit League's Front Row app, and watch the weekly "Inside The Summit League" show at www.thesummitleague.org/itsl.

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