USD’s Jessen, ORU’s Milos and USD’s Biltoft Collect #SummitVB Weekly Awards

10/19/2015 12:00:00 AM

ELMHURST, Ill. – South Dakota setter Brittany Jessen and Oral Roberts outside hitter Laura Milos were named Summit League Volleyball Offensive Players of the Week while South Dakota middle blocker Kelsey Biltoft earned the league's Defensive Player of the Week award for their performances during the week of Oct. 12-18.

BRITTANY JESSEN, SOUTH DAKOTA
So. // S // Mendota Heights, Minn.

Receives her first career Summit League Offensive Player of the Week award
Tallied 124 assists over three league matches, including 58 in four-set win over IUPUI
She has five matches this season with at least 50 assists and a streak of 17 matches with at least 30 assists
Averaged 12.40 assists per set, nearly two assists above her season average
Currently ranks second in The Summit League with 10.56 aps

LAURA MILOS, ORAL ROBERTS
So. // OH // Porec, Croatia

Collects her third Summit League Offensive Player of the Week award of the season and fourth of her career
Posted two 20-kill matches during the week with 22 at Denver and 26 vs. Western Illinois
Averaged 5.33 kills per set on the weekend and hit .346 in five-set win over WIU
Recorded her eighth double-double of the season vs. WIU and is just one kill shy of 900 for her career
Currently ranks in the top five nationally in kills per set, attacks per set and points per set

Also nominated: Mikala Hora, South Dakota State; Sarah Schmid, Denver; Emily Minnick, North Dakota State; Kelly Wachtel, IUPUI; Megan Schmale, Omaha; Somer Johnson, IPFW.

Previous honorees: Aug. 31 – Kaitlyn Hickey, IUPUI; Sept. 8 – Laura Milos, Oral Roberts; Sept. 14 – Logan Walling, IUPUI; Sept. 21 – Kaitlyn Hickey, IUPUI; Sept. 28 – Kaitlyn Hickey, IUPUI; Oct. 5 – Laura Milos, Oral Roberts; Oct. 12 – Somer Johnson, IPFW.

KELSEY BILTOFT, SOUTH DAKOTA
Sr. // MB // Nelson, Neb.

Named Summit League Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in her career
Registered 17 total blocks during the week, including eight in four-set home win over IUPUI
Eight blocks matches her season high and marks the fifth straight game with at least five total blocks
She averaged 1.70 blocks per set in leading Coyotes to 2-1 record
Moved into third in the league averaging 1.10 blocks per set on the season

Also nominated: Cassidy Rooke, Denver; Lizzie Palmer, South Dakota State; Shelby Cox, Oral Roberts; Mikaela Purnell, North Dakota State; Courtney Halter, IUPUI; Olivia Hahn, IPFW; Sydney O'Shaughnessy, Omaha.

Previous honorees: Aug. 31 – Abby Horn, IUPUI; Sept. 8 – Sarah Schmid, Denver; Sept. 14 – Olivia Hahn, IPFW; Sept. 21 – Courtney Halter, IUPUI; Sept. 28 – Sarah Schmid, Denver/Courtney Halter, IUPUI; Oct. 5 – Jovana Poljasevic, Oral Roberts; Oct. 12 – Mikaela Purnell, 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 75 Academic All-Americans, 65 All-America selections and numerous former student-athletes competing at the highest professional level. In 2014-15, The Summit League ranked first for NCAA Graduation Success Rate in women's basketball and second in baseball. For more information about the league and to "See The Summit", visit the newly re-designed www.thesummitleague.org website, follow Summit League Basketball on Twitter @summithoops and watch the weekly "Inside The Summit League" show at www.thesummitleague.org/itsl.

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