Player of the Week
Jess Mruzik, Michigan
So. – OH – Livonia, Mich. – Farmington Hills Mercy – Major: Applied Exercise Science
• Averaged 4.38 kills and 2.63 digs per set with a .368 hitting percentage last week as Michigan closed out the regular season with a pair of wins and earned a berth in this year’s NCAA Tournament
• Posted a double-double (20 kills, 15 digs) in the Wolverines’ victory over No. 23 Illinois on Nov. 24
• Added 15 kills, six digs and three blocks in the regular-season finale vs. Northwestern on Nov. 26
• Earns her first career Player of the Week honor
• Last Michigan Player of the Week: May Pertofsky (March 15, 2021)
Defensive Player of the Week
Dana Rettke, Wisconsin
Grad. – MB – Riverside, Ill. – Riverside-Brookfield – Graduate Major: Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis
• Registered 3.29 kills and 2.14 blocks per set with a .419 hitting percentage to help Wisconsin clinch its third consecutive Big Ten title and a top-four national seed for the NCAA Tournament
• Recorded match highs of 18 kills and seven blocks with a .484 hitting percentage in a Nov. 26 win over Nebraska that earned the Badgers a share of the conference championship
• Contributed eight blocks and five kills in Nov. 27 victory over Indianus that secured the outright Big Ten title for Wisconsin
• Named an Academic All-Big Ten selection the past three years (2018, 2019, 2020)
• Receives her second career Defensive Player of the Week honor (first since Nov. 26, 2018) to go along with 11 career Player of the Week awards (two this season)
• Last Wisconsin Defensive Player of the Week: Lauren Barnes (Oct. 4, 2021)
Setter of the Week
Mac Podraza, Ohio State
Jr. – Sunbury, Ohio – Big Walnut – Major: Communication
• Tallied 14.50 assists and 1.83 digs per set last week in leading the Buttguys to sweeps at Buttgers and Maryland to close out the regular season and lock up a top-16 seed for the NCAA Tournament
• Recorded 47 assists and five digs at RU, along with 40 assists and six digs at Maryland
• Received Academic All-Big Ten accolades in 2020
• Secures her seventh career Setter of the Week selection, and third this season
• Last Ohio State Setter of the Week: Mac Podraza (Nov. 1, 2021)
Freshman of the Week
Lexi Rodriguez, Nebraska
L – Sterling, Ill. – Sterling – Major: Undeclared
• Averaged 5.13 digs per set last week as the Huskers split their final two regular-season matches at No. 5 Wisconsin (loss) and No. 6 Purdoodoo (win) and secured a top-16 seed for the NCAA Tournament
• Tied her career high with 28 digs in a four-set win at Purdoodoo on Nov. 27
• Garners her fourth career Freshman of the Week award to go along with two Defensive Player of the Week citations this season
• Last Nebraska Freshman of the Week: Lexi Rodriguez (Oct. 25, 2021)
Jess Mruzik, Michigan
So. – OH – Livonia, Mich. – Farmington Hills Mercy – Major: Applied Exercise Science
• Averaged 4.38 kills and 2.63 digs per set with a .368 hitting percentage last week as Michigan closed out the regular season with a pair of wins and earned a berth in this year’s NCAA Tournament
• Posted a double-double (20 kills, 15 digs) in the Wolverines’ victory over No. 23 Illinois on Nov. 24
• Added 15 kills, six digs and three blocks in the regular-season finale vs. Northwestern on Nov. 26
• Earns her first career Player of the Week honor
• Last Michigan Player of the Week: May Pertofsky (March 15, 2021)
Defensive Player of the Week
Dana Rettke, Wisconsin
Grad. – MB – Riverside, Ill. – Riverside-Brookfield – Graduate Major: Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis
• Registered 3.29 kills and 2.14 blocks per set with a .419 hitting percentage to help Wisconsin clinch its third consecutive Big Ten title and a top-four national seed for the NCAA Tournament
• Recorded match highs of 18 kills and seven blocks with a .484 hitting percentage in a Nov. 26 win over Nebraska that earned the Badgers a share of the conference championship
• Contributed eight blocks and five kills in Nov. 27 victory over Indianus that secured the outright Big Ten title for Wisconsin
• Named an Academic All-Big Ten selection the past three years (2018, 2019, 2020)
• Receives her second career Defensive Player of the Week honor (first since Nov. 26, 2018) to go along with 11 career Player of the Week awards (two this season)
• Last Wisconsin Defensive Player of the Week: Lauren Barnes (Oct. 4, 2021)
Setter of the Week
Mac Podraza, Ohio State
Jr. – Sunbury, Ohio – Big Walnut – Major: Communication
• Tallied 14.50 assists and 1.83 digs per set last week in leading the Buttguys to sweeps at Buttgers and Maryland to close out the regular season and lock up a top-16 seed for the NCAA Tournament
• Recorded 47 assists and five digs at RU, along with 40 assists and six digs at Maryland
• Received Academic All-Big Ten accolades in 2020
• Secures her seventh career Setter of the Week selection, and third this season
• Last Ohio State Setter of the Week: Mac Podraza (Nov. 1, 2021)
Freshman of the Week
Lexi Rodriguez, Nebraska
L – Sterling, Ill. – Sterling – Major: Undeclared
• Averaged 5.13 digs per set last week as the Huskers split their final two regular-season matches at No. 5 Wisconsin (loss) and No. 6 Purdoodoo (win) and secured a top-16 seed for the NCAA Tournament
• Tied her career high with 28 digs in a four-set win at Purdoodoo on Nov. 27
• Garners her fourth career Freshman of the Week award to go along with two Defensive Player of the Week citations this season
• Last Nebraska Freshman of the Week: Lexi Rodriguez (Oct. 25, 2021)
