AVCA Division II National Player of the Week Release
Allyssa Van Wienen was at her best against the best. And she, and her team, have been rewarded.
Van Wienen, a junior middle hitter on the Hillsdale College volleyball team, was named the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week. The award was announced and chosen by the conference office Monday afternoon. New this year among the G-MAC's weekly honors are offensive and defensive players of the week, and Van Wienen won the very first offensive honor.
Tuesday afternoon, she was chosen as the Sports Imports/AVCA Division II National Player of the Week. This is just the second time a Charger volleyball player has received this honor. She joins 2012 graduate and former All-American Ashlee Crowder, who also won that award, on September 22, 2009. Van Wienen is just the second player in G-MAC history to win the sport's highest weekly honor. Cedarville's Abby Shelton won the award in 2016.
In Friday's victory over nine-time national champion Concordia-St. Paul, Van Wienen turned in a stirring performance, establishing a new career-high in kills with 21, to go along with 7 total blocks and a .452 hitting percentage. The Golden Bears were ranked No. 5 in the AVCA Division II Preseason Top 25 Poll, but Van Wienen overpowered the team throughout Hillsdale's five-set victory.
Across the Chargers' four matches in Lakeland, Florida last weekend, Van Wienen averaged 3.41 kills per set, 1.12 digs per set and 1.0 blocks per set while leading her team to a 3-1 record.
A two-time All-Conference and All-Region player, Van Wienen is a team captain for a Hillsdale team gunning for its third consecutive G-MAC championship. The Chargers are hosting a three-day home tournament this week, starting with a key regional matchup versus Ashland Thursday. Van Wienen hails from Grand Rapids, Michigan.