Sept. 25, 2006
NOTRE DAME, IND.- Notre Dame volleyball’s junior Adrianna Stasiuk (Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South), after leading the volleyball program to a perfect 2-0 start in BIG EAST Conference play this past weekend (Sept. 23-24), has been named the conference’s player of the week this afternoon, Sept. 25.
Stasiuk had a tremendous weekend on the court in leading Notre Dame to a 2-0 start in conference play for the 11th consecutive season. In both conferences matches this weekend, Stasiuk posted double-doubles (kills-digs). Stasiuk started her weekend with 14 kills and 10 digs in a sweep of Rutgers, while hitting a sizzling .737 (14-for-19) from the field. Stasiuk’s 14 kills led the team for the third time this season, while her 10 digs were the team best for the first time. Her impressive hitting percentage of .737 was the highest for a Notre Dame player, that averaged at least four attacks per game, since Malinda Goralski hit .833 against Wyoming in a three gamer in Sept. 22, 2000. Stasiuk’s .737 hitting percentage, with 14 kills, was the most kills with that high of a percentage since Mary Leffers hit the same percentage with the same number of kills against Rutgers in 1999.
The junior, Stasiuk, continued her strong weekend of action by tallying her ninth double-double of the season with 12 kills and 15 digs against Villanova in a 3-1 victory over the Wildcats. Stasiuk also tallied a season-best four assists and four blocks against Villanova.
For the week, Stasiuk led the Fighting Irish with 26 kills (3.71 per game) and 25 digs (3.57 digs per game).
This was the second time that Stasiuk has been named the BIG EAST Player of the Week in her career, as she previously took home the honors on Oct. 24th of last season. This was the fourth weekly BIG EAST award bestowed upon Stasiuk, with her also twice being named Freshman of the Week during her rookie season (Oct. 11 & Oct. 18, 2003).
For the season, Stasiuk ranks second on the team in kills (157) and digs (154), while totaling a team-high mark of 191 points.
Stasiuk and Notre Dame will next be in action this weekend, as the team heads to the East Coast to take on conference rival Seton Hall on Saturday, Sept. 30 at noon in South Orange, N.J.
— ND —