2021 KJCCC Volleyball Division I Athletes of the Week, Wk. 7

Offense: Sarah Cruz (Seward County)
Sarah Cruz led Seward County Community College to three wins last week over Hutchinson, Pratt, and Barton to claim second place in the KJCCC. Cruz had 29 kills in nine sets, with a .418 hitting percentage, and had 2.5 blocks on the week. She had her best performance of the week against Hutchinson with 11 kills, a .500 hitting percentage, and three block assists. Cruz continues to grow as the Lady Saints top attacker from the outside pin.

Others nominated: Tasiah Nunnery (Barton), Kayli Duncan (Butler), Hillary English (Dodge City), and Melena Christodoulou (Hutchinson)

Setter: Berfin Mertcan (Seward County)
Berfin Mertcan helped Seward County Community College to a perfect 3-0 week to propel the Lady Saints to second in the KJCCC. Mertcan averaged 11.1 assists per set, with a .222 hitting percentage, and two digs per set. She continues to orchestrate the offense for the Lady Saints at a high level and added six aces last week.

Others nominated: Isabella Guedes (Barton), Macie Shaver (Butler), Nur Yarn Turkmenoglu (Dodge City), and Andrea Serrano (Hutchinson)

Defense: Bruna Torres (Dodge City)
Dodge City had an action-packed week with four matches and went 3-1 as they beat Colby in three sets for the first win over the Trojans since 2011 for the program, while also beating North Platte and Trinidad State, while falling to #7 Butler. Torres was flying all over the floor defensively for the Conquistadors at her libero spot and continues to lead on the floor for the Conqs this season. In the programs first win over Colby since 2011 she posted 18 digs, while in a weekend home triangular she posed her 10th and 11th match this season with 20+ digs recording 22 digs, eight assists, three aces and a kill vs North Platte and 24 digs, an assist, and two aces vs Trinidad State. She surpassed 1,000 career digs in college during the weekend home triangular. On the season she has 358 digs in 15 matches good for 6.63 digs per set which leads the KJCCC and ranks third in the Nation.

Others nominated: Hanna Miller (Barton), Jaryn Benning (Butler), Zoe Schmidt (Hutchinson), Yainmarie Catala (Pratt), and Michell Jerez (Seward County)