LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference announced its Women's Volleyball Athletes of the Week honorees. In the East, Kutztown's Paige Skinner was selected as Athlete of the Week while Lock Haven's Olivia Taylor was named Defensive Athlete of the Week. In the West, IUP's Delaney Concannon (Athlete) and Gannon's Carlee Webber (Defensive) earned the honors.
Eastern Division Athlete of the Week
Paige Skinner
Kutztown
Outside Hitter
Senior
Placerville, Calif. / Ponderosa
Skinner had a very successful week in a busy week for Kutztown, leading her team to a 5-0 week, with four matches on back-to-back days over the weekend. In the five matches last week, Skinner finished with 84 kills (16.8 per match), 33 digs, 14 assists and two blocks. In the home opener against Goldey-Beacom last Tuesday, Skinner ended with a double-double, tallying a match-high 18 kills and adding 10 digs in a 3-0 sweep. KU then competed in four matches at the Elizabeth City State Tournament over the weekend and went 4-0. In the opening match against the host Vikings on Saturday, a straight set sweep, Skinner totaled nine kills, five digs and four assists. Against Glenville State, Skinner recorded 15 kills, five digs and three assists. On Sunday against Chowan, Skinner contributed 18 kills, five digs and four assists. In the final match against Belmont Abbey, Skinner finished with a match-high 24 kills and added eight digs and two assists. Skinner currently leads the PSAC with 131 kills and ranks second at 3.97 per set.
Eastern Division Defensive Athlete of the Week
Olivia Taylor
Lock Haven
Libero / DS
Sophomore
Bellefonte, Pa.
Taylor played a key role in helping Lock Haven volleyball post a perfect 3-0 weekend, winning all nine sets, as the Bald Eagles improved to 4-3 on the season. Taylor opened the weekend with 18 digs, eight assists and one ace in Lock Haven’s 3-0 win over Roberts Wesleyan. She followed with 15 digs, two aces and one assist in a sweep of Redeemer before closing the weekend with 15 digs, two assists and one ace in a 3-0 victory over Georgian Court. For the weekend, Taylor totaled 48 digs, 11 assists, four aces and helped Lock Haven remain unbeaten in nine sets of action. Her consistent defensive play and contributions from the service line helped the Bald Eagles secure three straight sweeps.
Western Division Athlete of the Week
Delaney Concannon
IUP
Outside Hitter
Senior
Pittsburgh, Pa. / Thomas Jefferson
Concannon had 49 kills over four matches, including a season-high 20 kills in a four-set win over Ashland in the IUP Volleyball Crimson Hawk Classic. She also had 51 digs over the three matches. She had her two top attack games of the season with her 20-kill match against Ashland and by recording 19 kills in a four-set win over Daemen. IUP went a perfect 4-0 on the weekend.
Western Division Defensive Athlete of the Week
Carlee Webber
Gannon
Middle Blocker
Sophomore
Anamosa, Iowa / Marion
Webber helped Gannon post a perfect 3-0 record at the Gannon Invitational, providing a strong presence at the net throughout the weekend. She totaled a team-high 13 blocks, including three solo blocks and 10 block assists, while averaging 1.08 blocks per set over 12 sets. Webber also contributed 26 kills while hitting a team-best .467 for the tournament.