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Big Ten CommunicationsPublished: 11/4/2024, Last updated: 11/4/2024
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USC, Purdue and Penn State Earn Big Ten Weekly Volleyball Awards

Trojans’ Batenhorst and Tuaniga, Boilermakers’ Hornung and Nittany Lions’ Starck claim weekly honors

Player of the Week 
Ally Batenhorst, USC 
Gr. - OH– Houston, Texas – Master’s: Digital Media Management 

  • Produced her 6th and 7th double-doubles of the season (8th and 9th of her career) 

  • Powered the USC offense with 16 kills and .536 hitting in a sweep of UCLA to go with 10 digs and two blocks for 17.5 points 

  • Added 10 kills, 10 digs and three blocks in a four-set win over Washington  

  • Ended the week with a combined .344 hitting percentage (26 kills, 61 attempts)  

  • Received serve 35 times for the Trojans and had a .914 reception percentage  

  • Batenhorst is the first USC player to be named Big Ten Player of the Week 

 

Defensive Player of the Week 
Ali Hornung, Purdue 
Sr. - L – New Albany, Ind. - Major: Hospitality & Tourism Management 

  • Helped Purdue to a 2-0 week with sweeps over Maryland and Rutgers, averaging 5.71 digs per set with 31 digs in six sets of action 

  • Helped guide Purdue to a conference-leading 17.67 digs per set, posting 17 digs at Maryland and 14 at Rutgers 

  • Hornung made zero reception errors in both matches, seeing 21 at Maryland and 20 at Rutgers 

  • Helped the Boilermaker defense hold opponents to a .159 average opponent hitting percentage 

  • Also tallied one ace in each of the wins 

  • Last Purdue Defensive Player of the Week: Ali Hornung (Oct. 7, 2024) 

 

Setter of the Week  
Mia Tuaniga, USC 
Sr. – S – Long Beach, Calif. – Major: Communication 

  • Put up 40 and 37 assists, averaging 11.00 assists per set, guiding USC to its fifth and sixth matches over .300 hitting this season in a pair of wins over UCLA and Washington  

  • Had eight digs against UCLA and 11 against Washington for her seventh double-double of the season  

  • Served five aces against Washington for her 19th career match with three or more aces and her fifth with five or more in the same match  

  • Moved into 4th place at USC in career service aces (146) and third overall in career assists (4,158)  

  • Last USC Setter of the Week: Mia Tuaniga (Sept. 23, 2024) 

 

Freshman of the Week  
Izzy Starck, Penn State 
S – Viera, Fla. – Major: Undeclared 

  • Averaged 10.71 assists per set while leading Penn State to .313 hitting and added 3.00 digs per set as the Nittany Lions improved to 12-0 in the Big Ten with wins over Michigan and Iowa at Rec Hall  

  • Recorded her 10th double-double of the season in a sweep of Michigan on Wednesday, finishing with 26 assists and 14 digs while helping the team hit .300 

  • Piled up 49 assists and added seven digs and four blocks while guiding Penn State to .321 hitting in a four-set win over the Hawkeyes  

  • Earns her sixth Freshman of the Week honor this season  

  • Last Penn State Freshman of the Week: Izzy Starck (Oct. 28, 2024) 

2024 Big Ten Players of the Week 
Sept.2 
P:Eva Hudson, Jr., PUR 
D: Rebekah Allick, Jr., NEB 
S: Bergen Reilly, So., NEB 
F: Izzy Starck, PSU  
Sept. 9 
P: Raina Terry, Gr., ILL 
D: Nalani Iosia, Sr., MSU 
S: Taylor Anderson, So., PUR 
F: Izzy Starck, PSU 
Sept. 16  
P: Emily Londot, Gr., OSU 
D: Raven Colvin, Sr., PUR 
S: Bergen Reilly, So., NEB 
F: Julia Hunt, WASH  
Sept. 23 
P: Sarah Franklin, Fifth-Year, WIS 
D: Onye Ofoegbu, RS-Sr.., ORE 
S: Mia Tuaniga, Sr., USC 
Co-F: Izzy Starck, PSU 
Co-F: Jadyn Livings, USC 
Sept. 30 
Co-P: Jess Mruzik, Gr., PSU 
Co-P: Alissa Kinkela, RS-Jr., RU 
D: Lexi Rodriguez, Sr., NEB 
S: Izzy Starck, Fr., PSU 
F: Malu Garcia, IOWA 
Oct. 7 
P:Jess Mruzik, Gr., PSU 
Co-D: Rebekah Allick, Jr., NEB 
Co-D: Ali Hornung, Sr., PUR 
S: Morgan Burke, So., MICH 
F: Charlie Fuerbringer, WIS 
Oct. 14 
P: Mimi Colyer, Jr., ORE 
D: Phoebe Awoleye, RS-Sr., MINN 
S: Bergen Reilly, So., NEB 
F: Izzy Starck, PSU 
Oct. 21 
P: Jess Mruzik, Gr., PSU 
D: Carter Booth, Jr., WIS 
S: Izzy Starck, Fr., PSU 
F: Cristin Cline, ORE 
Oct. 28 
P: Julia Hanson, Jr., MINN 
D: Andi Jackson, So., NEB 
S/F: Izzy Starck, Fr., PSU 
Nov. 4 
P: Ally Batenhorst, Gr., USC 
D: Ali Hornung, Sr., PUR 
S: Mia Tuaniga, Sr., USC 
F: Izzy Starck, PSU