Tuesday, October 9, 2018

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A solid all-around week that allowed Alaska to extend its win streak to four matches has earned Nanooks’ sophomore setter Cate Whiting selection as the Sports Imports/American Volleyball Coaches Association’s Division II Volleyball Player of the Week.

Whiting was a driving force behind a five-set road victory by the Nanooks over Seattle Pacific on Thursday and a three-set sweep of Saint Martin’s on Saturday, finishing the week with 75 assists, 10 blocks, 12 kills and 20 digs.

At Seattle Pacific, Whiting registered a double-double of 47 assists and 11 digs to go along with six kills, a .267 hitting percentage and four blocks to help Alaska hold off a surge by the Falcons in the fourth and fifth sets to claim the victory. Against Saint Martin’s, Whiting finished just short of a double-double with 28 assists, nine digs, six kills, six blocks and a service ace to go along with a .545 hitting percentage.

Whiting’s efforts allowed Alaska to extend its current win streak to four matches as the Nanooks improved their overall record to 7-10 on the season and evened their GNAC record at 5-5, pulling into a four-way tie for fourth in the standings with Simon Fraser, Concordia and Seattle Pacific.

Whiting enters the week ranked fifth in the GNAC with 9.46 assists per set. She also averages 1.05 kills, 0.25 aces, 2.20 digs and 0.54 blocks per set.

Whiting is the second GNAC player this season to be honored by the AVCA as the Division II Player of the Week. Alaska Anchorage’s Eve Stephens was selected for the award back on Sept. 18.

The two national honorees will square off against each other on Tuesday as the Seawolves and Nanooks play tonight in Fairbanks to open the second half of the GNAC schedule.