For the third time in the past six weeks, Rachel Widener, a member of the Mount Vernon Nazarene College women's volleyball team, has been selected as the American Mideast Conference Player of the Week.
Widener, a 5-foot-9 senior outside hitter from Elyria, Ohio, was honored this time for her efforts in guiding the Lady Cougars to a 2-0 mark during the week of October 25-31. The former All-Ohioan at Open Door Christian Academy averaged 4.00 kills and 5.86 digs for the week while posting a .310 attack percentage and a 96.6 serving percentage.
Widener began the week with a team-high 20 kills, 27 digs, four blocks, and two aces in a conference victory at Walsh University as MVNC clinched at least a share of their second straight AMC title. She added eight kills, 14 digs, and three blocks in a home win over Kenyon College that extended the Lady Cougars' home winning streak to 28 consecutive matches. (MVNC has posted an incredible 119-8 mark in the friendly confines of the Physical Education Center during the decade of the 1990s.) Widener also became the program's career leader in digs with 2,221 to surpass the previous mark of 2,208 set by Tammy Custer from 1994-1997.
On the season, Widener leads MVNC with 386 digs and a .356 attack percentage. She has also recorded 22 aces, 32 assists, 72 blocks, and 316 kills.
The Lady Cougars are currently 34-2 overall and ranked #25 in the NAIA national poll. MVNC will look to wrap up an outright AMC title when the team travels to Cedarville College for its final conference match of the regular season on Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m. The Lady Cougars have a 12-0 conference mark, while the Yellow Jackets are 23-10 overall and 9-3 in the AMC.
