PITMAN --- The New Jersey Athletic Conference announced its women's volleyball weekly honors for the week ending Nov. 1.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
NICOLE PALMER • Stockton University
Senior • Right Side/Setter • Islip Terrace, NY/East Islip
Palmer has been named NJAC Player of the Week for the fourth time this season after leading Stockton to a 3-0 week. The senior totaled 43 kills (4.30 per set) on .390 hitting, along with 25 digs, nine aces and five assists, averaging 5.25 points per set. She opened the week with 19 kills on .361 hitting, nine digs and four aces in a 3-1 conference win over Kean. She added 10 kills and three aces in a sweep of RIT. She then hit .522 with 14 kills and 10 digs against Albright for her 12th double-double of the season. Palmer moved into ninth place on Stockton’s career kills list with 1,241. She leads the NJAC in kills (4.16 per set) and points (4.84 per set) as the Ospreys have won five straight matches.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
GABRIELLA COOPER • Rowan University
Junior • Libero • Royersford, PA/Pope John Paul II
Cooper has been selected as NJAC Defensive Player of the Week after totaling 67 digs (4.47 per set) across 15 sets in a 3-1 week for Rowan. The junior also added 15 assists and three aces. She collected 29 digs (5.80 per set) and seven assists in the five-set win at Montclair State that clinched the NJAC regular-season title and the top seed in the conference tournament. She added 22 digs (5.50 per set) against Swarthmore, which is receiving votes nationally, and nine digs in a 3-0 win at No. 22 Stevens. Cooper currently ranks fourth in the NJAC with 4.38 digs per set on the season.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
ISABELLE HAWKINSON • Montclair State University
Freshman • Outside Hitter • Ennis, MT/Ennis
Hawkinson claims NJAC Rookie of the Week honors for the second time this year after totaling 30 kills (3.00 per set) in two five-set matches for Montclair State. The freshman added five digs and an assist. She posted 15 kills in a five-set conference battle against regular-season champion Rowan. She matched that total with 15 kills on .200 hitting in the Red Hawks’ reverse-sweep win over Merchant Marine. Hawkinson currently averages 2.50 kills and 2.65 points per set on the season.