Courtesy of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
NORFOLK, Va., Nov. 7, 2022—Delaware State junior Alondra Maldonado was selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Volleyball Player of the Week, presented by Coca-Cola, the conference office announced today. Howard University’s Rya McKinnon was named Rookie of the Week and Howard University senior Kayla Diaz named Setter of the Week, while Delaware State senior Jasmal Cruz earned Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Maldonado (6-1, Jr., MB, Patillas, Puerto Rico)
Maldonado racked up a career-high 23 points to lead the Hornets to a five-set comeback win over first-place Coppin State on Sunday. In hitting .378 for the match, Maldonado recorded a career-high 21 kills on 37 swings, while also assisting on four blocks. This was her first career 20-kill, 20-point match.
Rya McKinnon (5-11, Fr., OH, Bessemer, Ala.)
McKinnon averaged 4.0 kills and 3.3 digs per set in a pair of wins for the Bison this past weekend. She had 12 kills each in sweeps of North Carolina Central and South Carolina State, and in the NCCU match, she added 12 digs for her sixth double-double of the season. Against the Bulldogs, she added eight digs and four service aces.
Kayla Diaz (5-7, Sr., S, Nanuet, N.Y.)
She averaged 11.7 assists per set in a pair of three-set wins for the Bison, while also racking up nine total service aces in six sets played. Against North Carolina Central, she recorded 33 assists to go along with five aces, and against South Carolina State, she racked up 37 assists and four aces – quarterbacking a Howard offense that hit better than .300 in both matches.
Jasmal Cruz (5-7, Sr., L, Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico)
Cruz racked up a career-high 29 digs in a five-set win over Coppin State, averaging 5.8 digs per set. Over her last six matches, Cruz has recorded at least 20 digs four times.
Other Top Performers
Ahzhi Coleman (Coppin State) had nine kills and three blocks against Maryland Eastern Shore and eight kills and three blocks against Delaware State.
Ashley Roman (Coppin State) racked up 26 digs against Delaware State.
Andrea Tsvetanova (Coppin State) had 47 assists, 10 digs and two aces against Delaware State.
Malgorzata Andersohn (Delaware State) racked up 32 assists, seven digs and five aces against Coppin State.
Derionah Abner (Maryland Eastern Shore) had nine kills on a .350 hitting percentage against Coppin State.
Nkemjika Ikemefuna (Maryland Eastern Shore) recorded eight kills and 10 digs against Coppin State.
Sofie Langer (Norfolk State) had 25 assists and six digs against South Carolina State.
Raquel Lightbourn (Norfolk State) hit .417 against South Carolina State with five kills, before recording eight kills and three blocks against North Carolina Central.
Nicole Rodriguez (Norfolk State) had 23 digs against North Carolina Central.
Shonte Seale (Norfolk State) racked up 17 kills against North Carolina Central after an 11-kill effort against South Carolina State.
