SAU's Grafton, Sondag, JU's Diaz Vega Return To The Women's VB Weekly Awards Stand

CHICAGO --- St. Ambrose University's Mackenzie Grafton (Orion, Ill.) and Hannah Sondag (Webster Groves, Mo.) and Judson University's Kenia Diaz Vega (Caguas, Puerto Rico) gained Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Women's Volleyball Player of the Week honors one final time in 2023, the league office announced on Wednesday afternoon.  For Grafton and Sondag, it was their third time being recognized this year and their second in a row, while for Diaz Vega, she was awarded for the second time.

Grafton earned CCAC Attacker of the Week distinction after turning in a .667 hitting clip and a 5.67 kills-per-set mark in a three-set win over University of St. Francis last Thursday.  The senior outside hitter totaled 17 kills against only one error in 24 total chances in the match, while also producing eight digs (2.67 avg.) and a pair of service aces.

Sondag authored a double-double en route to CCAC Setter of the Week recognition.  Her 30 assists and 11 digs calculated out to 10.0 assists- and 3.67 digs-per-set averages.  The graduate student also had two blocks and one service ace.

The contest against St. Francis was the only one on the week for the Fighting Bees, who finished second in the conference standings and are 17-14 heading into the semifinal round of the CCAC Tournament on Thursday.

Diaz's CCAC Defender of the Week award was secured by her 5.33 digs-per-set average in her only match of the week, a three-set decision over Indiana University Northwest last Tuesday.  The senior defensive specialist registered 16 digs, 11 receptions without an error and two aces in the match.

The conference regular-season champion Eagles are 22-3 heading into the CCAC Tournament semifinal round.

Other Attacker Nominees: Viktoria Marysheva (Roosevelt), Abby Seeger (Indiana South Bend), Brooke Veldman (Trinity Christian), Kara Wicklund (Judson).

Other Defender Nominees: Brooke Veldman (Trinity Christian), Lexi Huntley (St. Ambrose), Brooke Williams (Roosevelt).

Other Setter Nominees: Alexis Bartz (Trinity Christian), Emma Knowlton (Indiana South Bend), Lindsay Lawlor (Judson).