Bruzdzinski Big Ten Player of the Week After Upset Week
11/6/2006 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
PARK RIDGE, Ill. -- Junior outside hitter Katie Bruzdzinski (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) earned Michigan's third Big Ten weekly honor of the 2006 season after helping the Wolverines upset the sixth-highest ranked team they've beaten in program history, defeating No. 12 Minnesota (Nov. 4), and extending her streak of matches with double-digit kills to 40. The announcement was made by the conference office on Monday (Nov. 6).
Bruzdzinski carried the Wolverines' hopes of an NCAA Tournament bid on her back against two of the best teams in the Big Ten last weekend, averaging 5.33 kills per game against No. 10 Wisconsin and 5.25 kills per game against No. 12 Minnesota to help Michigan earn a split.
Bruzdzinski
Bruzdzinski had a match-high 21 kills, helping Michigan earn a decisive 3-1 win over No. 12 Minnesota to give Michigan volleyball its biggest win over a ranked opponent since the 2004 Wolverines downed No. 7 Wisconsin, and the 1999 Wolverines beat No. 7 BYU in the season opener. Bruzdzinski hit .386 vs. the Gophers, registering her 10th double-double of the year with 10 digs. She also served three aces, giving her nine aces in the last three matches. Bruzdzinski hammered five kills, and hit .556 in the momentum stealing second game against Minnesota, then added five kills in games three and four to help the Wolverines seal the win.
Though Michigan hit just .163 against the Badgers, Bruzdzinski posted a .286 attack percentage against the second-best blocking team in the conference -- despite having to regularly beat double teams and massive shifts to her side. For the weekend, Bruzdzinski had 37 kills and 14 digs, and also tied for second on the team with four blocks.
The honor is Bruzdzinski's second of her career. Sophomore Kerry Hance (Los Angeles, Calif./Marymount) and junior Stesha Selsky (Manhattan Beach, Calif./Marymount) earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors earlier this season, giving Michigan a program record three weekly honors on the 2006 campaign. Michigan had a pair of weekly award winners in 2002 (Jennifer Gandolph and Erin Moore).
With three weeks remaining in the regular-season, the Wolverines travel to No. 14 Purdue on Friday (Nov. 10) and to Indiana on Saturday (Nov. 11). Purdue sits in fourth in the conference with a 9-5 record (19-6 overall), while Indiana is in last place with a 1-13 conference mark (10-16 overall).
Contact: Richard Retyi (734) 763-4423
