Two RedStorm players win final weekly volleyball awards

Louisville, Ky. --- Two members of the University of Rio Grande volleyball squad, freshman outside hitter Whitney Smith and junior libero Jacquie Whittle have been named the Mid-South Conference Volleyball Players of the Week, the conference announced on Monday.

The weekly conference award is Smith's first of the season while Whittle is a two-time winner of the award, claiming the honor in back-to-back weeks. 

Smith averaged 3.1 kills and recorded a .213 attacking percentage to earn both the MSC Player and Hitter of the Week. The Albany, Ohio, freshman outside hitter recorded double digit kills in two of her three matches.

Smith amassed 15 kills in Rio Grande's 3-2 win over Roberts Wesleyan College. She recorded 11 kills in a three-game sweep of Houghton College and eight kills in a loss to Point Park University. Smith also averaged 4.9 digs per game on the week and had two service aces in the two wins.

Whittle averaged seven digs per game to earn MSC Libero of the Week. The Chillicothe, Ohio, junior recorded 39 digs in the Roberts Wesleyan win and 25 digs in the win over Houghton.

Whittle added a pair of service aces to her week to help the RedStorm to a 2-1 week. Rio finished the season winning four of its last five matches. 

Rio closed out the regular season with a mark of 17-18 and finished 9-5 and in third place in the Mid-South Conference.

This week marks the final volleyball player of the week. The Mid-South Conference Tournament begins Tuesday, Nov. 10, at the Frankfort Civic Center in Frankfort, Ky. Rio Grande will face Pikeville College at 3 p.m.