Red River Athletic Conference – RRAC volleyball players of the week announced for Sept. 13-19

Sadie Ballesteros sparked the Saints to a 3-0 week.

WACO, Texas — Sadie Ballesteros of Our Lady of the Lake University (Texas) was selected as the RRAC Volleyball Attacker of the Week for Sept. 13-19. OLLU’s Madelynn Strzelczyk collected the RRAC Setter of the Week honor, and Kendall Mack of Xavier University (La.) was named RRAC Defender of the Week for the same dates. This is the fourth set of weekly awards for the 2021 RRAC volleyball season.

Ballesteros posted a .388 hitting percentage in a 3-0 week for the Saints. The junior outside hitter from Atascosa, Texas, had totals of 11 kills in a 3-2 win over Texas Lutheran University and nine in a sweep of Wiley College (Texas). Ballesteros averaged 2.4 kills per set for the week and chipped in eight digs. She is 14th nationally with a .360 hitting percentage. OLLU opened conference play at 2-0 and improved to 7-2 on the season. 

Strzelczyk earned her third award of the season with 105 assists for the Saints. The sophomore setter from Marion, Texas, reached 51 assists against TLU and 34 against Wiley. Strzelczyk averaged 10.5 assists per set for the week. She is currently 15th in the NAIA with 10.4 assists per set. 

Mack established a new Xavier record for blocks in a four-set victory over Louisiana College. The sophomore middle blocker from Tyrone, Ga., registered 12 blocks to eclipse the previous mark (10) and her personal record (7). Mack was credited with three solo blocks and nine assisted in the match. She climbed to second in the country with 1.4 blocks per set. The Gold Nuggets picked up their first win of the season to start at 1-0 in the RRAC and move to 1-4 overall. 

Additional RRAC volleyball weekly nominees: Aniah Adams (LC), Paris Babino (LC), I’Nyah Kately (LC), Emi Raglioni (XULA), Tina Trevino (OLLU), Kennedy Wade (XULA).