PITMAN --- The New Jersey Athletic Conference announced its women's volleyball weekly honors for the week ending Nov. 8.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
BRYN BAUTISTA • Montclair State University
Junior • Outside Hitter • Sewell, NJ/Washington Township
Bautista has been selected as the final NJAC Player of the Week of the 2026 season after leading Montclair State to a 2-1 week to close the regular season. The junior outside hitter totaled 39 kills (3.90 per set) and 38 digs (3.80 per set) while hitting .241. She added five assists, four service aces and two blocks, and had a kill-dig double-double in all three matches. Bautista opened the week with 10 kills on .381 hitting, 15 digs and three aces in a 3-0 conference win over Ramapo. She recorded 12 kills and 11 digs against nationally ranked Stevens, then had 17 kills (5.67 per set) and 12 digs in a 3-0 win over Union.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
ALEENA WHITEHEAD • Montclair State University
Freshman • Libero • San Antonio, TX/Ronald Reagan
Whitehead earns the final NJAC Defensive Player of the Week honor of the 2026 season after totaling 53 digs (5.30 per set) over Montclair State’s final three regular-season matches. The freshman libero also had 13 assists and two service aces. She made only two reception errors on 47 serves received. Whitehead had 13 digs in a 3-0 win over Ramapo. She followed with 26 digs against nationally ranked Stevens, then had 14 digs, six assists and two aces in a 3-0 win over Union.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
ARIANA BONGIOVANNI • Stockton University
Freshman • Setter • Charlotte, NC/Reddington
Bongiovanni claims the final NJAC Rookie of the Week honor of the 2026 season after running Stockton’s offense in three straight sweeps. The freshman setter totaled 48 assists (5.33 per set) and 10 service aces (1.11 per set). She also had nine digs and two kills on .500 hitting, and had at least 15 assists and three aces in every match. Bongiovanni had 15 assists and three aces in a win over Rutgers-Camden. She added 17 assists, three aces and four digs against John Jay, then had 16 assists, four aces and three digs against Drew.