GLIAC -- The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) has announced its weekly awards following Week 9 of the 2024 volleyball season. Northern Michigan swept the awards, with senior outside hitter Jacqueline Smith earning GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week honors, sophomore libero/defensive specialist Liesl Haugen receiving GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week and sophomore setter Allie Barlow claiming GLIAC Setter of the Week accolades.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Jacqueline Smith, Northern Michigan
Jacqueline Smith helped lead the Wildcats to a 3-0 week, recording 62 kills over the three NMU victories. Smith started the week off with a career-high with 28 kills, including the match-winner in extra points in the fifth set, against Michigan Tech on Wednesday. She followed it up with 14 kills in a four-set win over Purdue Northwest and rounded out the week with 20 kills in a five-set thriller over Parkside. She also added a career-high 19 digs at Tech and totaled 47 over the week, along with nine aces and eight blocks. Her 28 kills on Wednesday tie a single-game high in the GLIAC this season. Smith has recorded 20+ kills five times this season and paces all conference players with 356 kills.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Liesl Haugen, Northern Michigan
Liesl Haugen was stout defensively for the Northern Michigan Wildcats this past week, notching 63 digs over three Wildcat victories. Haugen recorded a career-best 31 digs in the victory at Michigan Tech on Wednesday that helped lead an effort of 97 team digs, a GLIAC-high this season. Haugen recorded 10 digs in the first set alone, a number rarely seen. Those 31 digs tied for the second-best mark in a GLIAC match this season. Haugen finished off the weekend with 19 digs vs. Purdue Northwest and 13 more against Parkside. She also added 11 assists over the three games. Haugen is third in the conference with 369 digs this season.
SETTER OF THE WEEK: Allie Barlow, Northern Michigan
Sophomore setter Allie Barlow of Northern Michigan recorded a remarkable 147 assists over the three NMU wins this past week, including a GLIAC single-game high 62 in a five-set victory over Michigan Tech. Those 62 assists are tied for 13th nationally in a single match this season. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa native also added 13 kills over the week and double-digit digs in each match, totaling 37, with a season-best 15 against Parkside. Barlow now paces all GLIAC setters with 943 assists this season and is second with 40 service aces.
HONORABLE MENTION
Offense: Sam Fisch (Parkside) Jordyn Gates (Grand Valley State), Olivia Henneman-Dallape (Ferris State), Molly Miller (Wayne State), Meg Raabe (Michigan Tech), Sarah Veale (Saginaw Valley State)
Defense: Amelia Albers (Michigan Tech), Kendyl Andrews (Wayne State), Julia Blaney (Grand Valley State), Elizabeth Bruschuk (Saginaw Valley State), Natalie Harris (Parkside), Claire Nowicki (Ferris State)
Setter: Kayla Dulgar (Wayne State), Jordyn Gates (Grand Valley State), Tess Hayes (Michigan Tech), Kaylee Maat (Ferris State), Jackie Scheiber (Saginaw Valley State)
