BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Western Washington University volleyball players Abby Phelps and Kayleigh Harper have swept the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Week honors for the week of August 27-September 2.
Phelps (offense) and Harper (defense) helped lead the Vikings to a perfect 4-0 record at the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase, moving WWU up to No. 12 in the AVCA Division II Poll.
Phelps (Sr., Manson, WA/Chelan) recorded a double-double in each of the four matches at the West Region showcase, averaging 4.33 kills, 4.87 digs and 0.73 blocks per set, while leading the team with 74.5 total points. Her best performance of the weekend was a 21-kill, 25-dig effort in the five-set victory over No. 9 Cal State San Bernardino.
For Phelps, it is her sixth GNAC Player of the Week award, tying Samantha Hutchinson, Kayla Erickson and Marlayna Geary for the most by a WWU player and now one off the all-time conference record of seven by Seattle Pacific’s Alyssa Given (2005-07).
Harper (Jr., Oak Harbor, WA) amassed a .355 hitting percentage while averaging 3.40 kills and a GNAC-leading 1.67 blocks per set. She too had her best performance against Cal State San Bernardino, finishing with 18 kills and 12 blocks. This was Harper’s fourth GNAC Player of the Week award, third as a defensive player.
This marks the fifth time WWU has swept the GNAC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week awards since the conference split the awards up beginning in the 2012 season.
The Vikings enter conference play as the defending GNAC champions after going 19-1 in league play last season. WWU hosts Seattle Pacific (Thursday, 7 pm) and Saint Martin’s (Saturday, 7 pm) in its home debut this weekend on WECU Court in Carver Gym in Bellingham. Tickets are available in advance at WWUVikings.com/Tickets or in person at the box office beginning one hour before the match. Parking is free on the WWU campus in the 12A and C lots for all home matches with a shuttle provided to Carver Gym.
