STANDISH, Maine – The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) weekly awards have been released and a pair of Saint Joseph's College women's volleyball players have been honored.
Senior middle blocker Felicia Wachowiak (Milton, N.H.) has claimed GNAC Offensive Player of the Week acclaim for the third time this fall while freshman libero Jennelle Thompson (Farmington, N.H.) has been honored as the GNAC Rookie and Defensive Player of the Week for the reporting period ending September 27th.
Wachowiak enjoyed one of the most productive weeks of her collegiate career, posting 42 kills - with just four errors - and a stellar .514 attack percentage and 11 total blocks in three matches. On Saturday, the senior middle blocker belted 15 kills with no miscues in 20 attempts in a 3-0 win over University of Saint Joseph and followed up with 20 kills and five block solos to help the Monks remain undefeated (14-0) with a 3-1 victory over Maine-Fort Kent.
Thompson posted 78 digs and a 7.80 digs per set average in three victories for the Monks last week. The rookie libero shattered the Monks' four-set digs record with 41 in a 3-1 triumph over Maine-Fort Kent on Saturday. Thompson added 22 digs against Daniel Webster College on Thursday and tallied 15 digs in a three-set triumph over GNAC-rival University of Saint Joseph on Saturday.
Wachowiak currently leads the conference in kills (163), kills per set (3.40), block solos (39), total blocks (58), blocks per set (1.21), points (211.5) and points per set (4.4) and ranks second in the GNAC in hitting percentage (.364). She is also ranked 13th in all of NCAA DIII Women's Volleyball in blocks per set. Her play at the net has played a major role in the Monks' nation-leading opponents' attack percentage (-.012).
The three-time All-GNAC selection has been honored in each of the four reporting periods this fall with a total of six weekly awards overall. The Offensive Player of the Week honor is her third of the 2015 campaign and sixth of her career overall.
Thompson ranks as the GNAC-leader in digs (273) and digs per set (5.69) and her reception error total (23) is the eighth lowest in the league. She has now earned three GNAC weekly awards and was also chosen as the ECAC DIII New England Rookie of the Week on September 15th.
Saint Joseph's (14-0, 3-0 GNAC), which remains as one of just three undefeated NCAA DIII women's volleyball programs (along with Roanoke and Juniata), travels to Bangor tonight to face Husson University in a 7:00 PM start.
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Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 474-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.
