Tuesday, September 6, 2022

PORTLAND, Ore. – Alaska Anchorage senior right-side hitter Eve Stephens followed up her GNAC Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week award earlier today with selection as the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II National Player of the Week.

Stephens was honored for her outstanding performance over four matches at the Denali State Bank Ice Block Classic where she averaged 5.33 kills, 3.07 digs, 0.73 aces and 0.67 blocks per set with a .406 hitting percentage over 15 sets. The effort earned Stephens selection as the tournament MVP as the Seawolves went 3-1.

Stephens finished with double-doubles (kills and digs) in three of the four matches and posted 20 or more kills twice. She opened the tournament with 20 kills, seven digs, two aces and two blocks with a .528 hitting percentage in Thursday’s three-set sweep of Findlay. On Friday, Stephens finished with a career-high 31 kills with 13 digs, an ace and two solo blocks in a five-set loss to Florida Southern.

The senior wrapped up Friday’s matches with a 10-kill, 10-dig performance in a three-set sweep of Black Hills State. She ended the week on Saturday with an impressive effort of 19 kills, 16 digs, six aces and four blocks in a four-set win over Ark.-Fort Smith.

A three-time First Team All-GNAC selection, Stephens enters the week leading the GNAC and ranked fifth in Division II with 4.84 kills per set. She also leads the conference and is third in Division II with 5.76 points per set. On the Division II lists, Stephens leads all players with 184 total kills, is third with 381 total attacks and ranks 11th with 21 service aces.

Stephens has helped lead Alaska Anchorage to a 10-1 record in non-conference play. The Seawolves are ranked No. 16 in this week’s AVCA Division II Coaches Poll. They begin conference play this week, hosting undefeated Saint Martin’s on Thursday and Western Oregon on Saturday.