SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Kansas City’s Melanie Brecka and Omaha’s Rylee Marshall notched this week’s TicketSmarter Summit League Volleyball Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week accolades. Brecka secured the award on the offensive side while Marshall took home the defensive honor, league officials released Tuesday.
 
Brecka posted her seventh and eighth double-doubles of the year in league opening wins over North Dakota State (3-1) and North Dakota (3-1). She led the Roo’s attacking efforts on the weekend, tallying 35 kills, averaging 4.38 kills per set and hitting a blazing .392 percentage in the two matches.
 
Against the Bison, Brecka swung a season-high .484 hitting percentage to go along with 18 kills and 14 digs. In the victory over the Fighting Hawks, she recorded 17 kills, a .326 clip and dug up a career-high 26 attacks.
 
Marshall helped propel the Mavericks to sweeps over St. Thomas and Western Illinois on the opening weekend of league play. She dominated the net for Omaha totaling 11 blocks for an average of nearly two per set.
 
She tallied five total blocks against the Tommies and six against the Leathernecks. In addition, to her defensive efforts, Marshall added 14 kills in the two matches.
 
Melanie Brecka, Kansas City
Sr | RS | Lincoln, Neb.

• Collected her second career athlete of the week honor
• Recorded 35 kills, 4.38 kills per set,  a .392 hitting percentage and 40 digs to open league play
• Notched her seventh and eighth double-doubles of the season

Also nominated: Kennedy Davis (Western Illinois), Hailey Green (Denver), Elizabeth Juhnke (South Dakota), Bryanne Soares (Oral Roberts), Marriah Buss (Omaha)
 
Rylee Marshall, Omaha
Sr | MB | Fort Calhoun, Neb.

• Claimed her first career defensive player of the week accolade
• Recorded 11 total blocks for an average of 1.83 blocks per set in two matches
• Contributed 14 kills on the weekend

Also nominated: Karli Wenzel (Western Illinois), Gianna Bartalo (Denver), Lolo Weideman (South Dakota), Sakira LaCour (Oral Roberts), Carly Gillen (Kansas City)
 
2021 Volleyball Players of the Week
August 31
O: Lydia Bartalo, Denver
D: Sarah Thiessen, Oral Roberts
 
September 7
O: Sadie Limback, Omaha
D: Maddie Renn, Kansas City
 
September 14
O: Madison Harms, South Dakota
D: Michelle Glover, North Dakota State
 
September 21
O: Sadie Limback, Omaha
D: Claire Mountjoy, Omaha
 
September 28
O: Melanie Brecka, Kansas City
D: Rylee Marshall, Omaha