PITMAN --- The New Jersey Athletic Conference has announced its men's volleyball weekly award winners for the week ending March 31.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
MARCUS PARDASIE • New Jersey City University
Sophomore • Outside Hitter • Paramus, NJ / Cresskill
Pardasie earns NJAC Player of the Week for the fourth time overall and third time in four weeks after powering NJCU to a 3-0 week behind one of the most efficient attacking performances of the season. The sophomore outside hitter totaled 40 kills while hitting .536 and averaged 4.44 kills, 5.28 points, and 2.00 digs per set across nine sets. He opened the week with 16 kills on 19 swings (.842) in a sweep of Manhattanville, then added 11 kills against St. Joseph’s-Brooklyn and 13 more versus Sarah Lawrence. Pardasie also contributed four service aces and five total blocks without committing a single attack error in two of the three matches, and scooped a week-best eight digs in the win over Manhattanville.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
DEREK AU • Rutgers-Newark
Graduate Student • Setter • Orlando, FL / Timber Creek
Au collects NJAC Defensive Player of the Week honors after leading Rutgers-Newark to its fifth straight NJAC title with a pair of high-effort, two-way performances. The veteran setter dished out 107 assists over nine sets — an average of 11.89 assists per set — while adding 2.33 digs and 0.44 blocks per set. In the title-clinching win over Kean, he notched 54 assists and 14 digs while also becoming the program’s all-time leader in career assists. He followed with 53 assists, seven digs, and two blocks in a five-set thriller against Marymount.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
ALEX SOLODKY • Rutgers-Newark
Freshman • Outside Hitter • Austin, TX / Westlake High School
Solodky becomes the third different Scarlet Raider this year to earn NJAC Rookie of the Week honors after a breakout showing that helped Rutgers-Newark clinch the NJAC crown. Over nine sets, the freshman outside hitter posted 37 kills (4.11/set), 17 digs (1.89/set), 41.5 total points (4.61/set), and hit .253 on the week. He exploded for 24 kills on a .400 hitting percentage and 26 points in the title win over Kean, then delivered 13 kills, 10 digs, and 15.5 points in a five-set win over Marymount. Solodky also added four blocks and two aces during the week.