ELMHURST, Ill. –  The final #SummitVB Players of the Week go to Fort Wayne's Nicole Rightnowar and North Dakota State's Mikaela Purnell. This is the first-career offensive player of the week title for Rightnowar, while Purnell tied the Summit League all-time single-season record with her fifth defensive honor of the year.
Rightnowar guided the Mastodons (12-18, 4-10) during last week's action, leading the team in kills, digs and hitting percentage. In seven sets played, Rightnowar blasted 4.86 kills/set and hit .367—both well above her season average in those categories. In tallying back-to-back double-double performances against Western Illinois and South Dakota State, Rightnowar helped her team secure the sixth and final seed at the league tournament this weekend.
Rightnowar and Fort Wayne play No. 3 South Dakota at 6 p.m. MT this Friday, Nov. 17.
This is the ninth time in her career Purnell has been named the defensive player of the week, earning that honor with 66 total digs and a 8.25 digs/set average against Western Illinois and Omaha. The Bison (18-8, 9-5) went onto win both matches last week as Purnell recorded back-to-back 30-plus dig performances, including a career-high 36-dig showing versus the Mavericks. With those two game logs, the senior libero now has 10 career 30-plus dig performances to her name.
Purnell and NDSU will head into this week's championship tournament as the No. 4 seed, facing off against No. 5 Omaha Friday at 3 p.m. MT.
Nicole Rightnowar, Fort Wayne Â
Jr. // Outside Hitter // Temperance, Mich. Â
- Last Week: 34 kills, 4.86 kills/set, 37.0 points, 5.3 points/set, 0.43 aces/set
- Led team in kills, digs and hitting percentage on the week
- Posted a .367 hitting percentage in seven sets, which is .193 points better than her season average
- Hit a season-high .452 in a win over the Jackrabbits
- Kills/set average last week was 1.56 kills better than her season average (3.30)
- Recorded two double-doubles versus WIU (18 K, 19 D) and SDSU (16 K, 14 D)
Also nominated: Cassie Baird (Denver), Abby Bergsten (Neb.-Omaha), Laura Milos (Oral Roberts), Erika Gelzinyte (North Dakota State), Hayley Dotseth (South Dakota)
Previous Winners: Aug. 28 – Kayla Principato (Denver) | Sept. 5 – Brianna Rasmusson (NDSU) | Sept. 11 – Laura Milos (Oral Roberts) | Sept. 18 – Kelly Law (USD) | Sept. 25 – Laura Milos (ORU) | Oct. 2 – Laura Milos (ORU) | Oct. 9 – Hayley Dotseth (USD) | Oct. 16 – Becca Latham (Denver) | Oct. 23 – Laura Milos (Oral Roberts) | Oct. 30 – Becca Latham (Denver) | Nov. 6 – Mackenzie Steckler (WIU)
Mikaela Purnell, North Dakota State
Sr. // Libero // Excelsior, Minn. Â Â Â Â
- Last Week: 66 digs, 8.25 digs/set
- Turned in back-to-back 30-plus dig performances in wins over WIU and Omaha
- Recorded career-high 36 digs in season finale against Omaha
- 10 career 30-plus dig performances
- Ninth-career Defensive Player of the Week award (second most all-time)
- Ranks seventh in the NCAA this season in digs/set (5.89—as of 11/09/17)
Also nominated: Tina Boe (Denver), Natalie Seiler (Fort Wayne), Bella Sade (Omaha), Tori Roe (Oral Roberts), Anne Rasmussen (South Dakota)
Previous Winners: Aug. 28 – Mikaela Purnell (NDSU) | Sept. 5 – Bella Lien (NDSU) | Sept. 11 – Mikaela Purnell (NDSU) | Sept. 18 – Mikaela Purnell (NDSU) | Sept. 25 – Anne Rasmussen (USD) | Oct. 2 – Anne Rasmussen (USD) | Oct. 9 – Anne Rasmussen (USD) | Oct. 16 - Mikaela Purnell (NDSU) | Oct. 23 – Anne Rasmussen (USD) | Oct. 30 – Megan Doran (Oral Roberts) | Nov. 6 – Abbi Klos (NDSU)
