Olivia Utterback, UC Davis  Women's Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week  Sophomore • Opposite Hitter • Plainfield, Ind.

• Olivia Utterback produced the first two performances of 20-plus kills for the third-year sophomore’s career to lead UC Davis to a pair of home wins and earn a first Big West Offensive Player of the Week distinction.

• In a five-set battle with UC Santa Barbara on Thursday night, the opposite hitter put down a career- and match-best 25 kills on .339 (25-6-56) hitting, while completing a sixth double-double for 2022 with 14 digs and adding three blocks (first solo of career), a match-high two aces and one assist for a career-high 29 total points.

• During Saturday’s 3-1 triumph over CSUN, Utterback came up with a match-high 20 kills at a .425 (20-3-40) attack rate, to go along with nine digs, one ace, one block and an assist for a match-best 21.5 points.

• A native of Plainfield, Ind., Utterback averaged 5.61 points, 5.00 kills and 2.56 digs for the week while hitting .375 (45-9-96).

• Utterback, a 2021 All-Big West First Team and All-Freshman Team pick, was previously The Big West Freshman of the Week on Sept. 6, 2021. The last Aggie to be named the offensive recipient was Lauren Matias on Oct. 14, 2019.

Also Nominated: Morgan Chacon (Long Beach State); Tallulah Froley (UC Santa Barbara); Amber Igiede (Hawai’i); Ava McInnes (UC San Diego); Lyla Traylor (Cal State Fullerton); Joy Umeh (UC Irvine)

Breanna Mitchell, CSUN  Women's Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week  Freshman • Libero • Temecula, Calif.

• CSUN libero Breanna Mitchell collected 51 digs over two matches in a weekend road split and pulled off the double of both Big West Defensive Player of the Week and Big West Freshman of the Week distinction.

• In Thursday night’s come-from-behind five-set victory at UC Riverside, the true freshman out of Temecula and Linfield Christian School equaled the program’s rally-scoring-era single-match record of 34 digs to lead all players. That total is also the fourth-best in school history overall, and tied for second-most in a Big West contest in 2022.

• On Saturday afternoon in a four-set loss at UC Davis, Mitchell added a team-high 17 digs to average 5.67 per set for the week. Mitchell has appeared in all 30 of CSUN’s matches and reached double-figure digs in all but five.

• In addition to those 51 digs, Mitchell contributed 10 set assists and a pair of aces, both in Davis, where the rookie was perfect in serve receive over 21 attempts.

• Mitchell is now a two-time Big West Defensive Player of the Week and Big West Freshman of the Week, having also earned the pair of recognitions together back on Sept. 19.

Also Nominated: Dylan Dela Cruz (Long Beach State); Naya Dong (UC San Diego); Amber Igiede (Hawai’i); Shira Lahav (UC Davis); Málie McClure (Cal State Fullerton); Onye Ofoegbu (UC Irvine); Macall Peed (UC Santa Barbara)

Casi Newman, UC Davis  Women's Volleyball Setter of the Week  Sophomore • Setter • San Clemente, Calif.

• Third-year sophomore Casi Newman set UC Davis to a home sweep of UC Santa Barbara and CSUN and garnered a first Big West Setter of the Week award.

• The San Clemente native dished out 102 assists with 19 digs over the two matches, for averages of 11.33 assists and 2.11 digs per set over the sixth-place Aggies’ nine frames.

• Newman first finished with a career- and match-high 61 assists in Thursday night’s five-setter with the Gauchos, posting an eighth collegiate double-double (sixth for 2022) with 12 digs and also adding two kills on six attempts without an error, and one block. The assist total is the fourth-biggest in a Big West contest this season. UCD attacked at an efficient .305 (77-17-197) clip as a team.

• On Saturday afternoon against CSUN, Newman had a match-best 41 assists, seven digs, three kills again without a miscue on nine tries, and a block. The Aggies hit a season-high .315 (62-11-162).

• Newman is a first-time Big West weekly award winner.

Also Nominated: Kate Lang (Hawai’i); Zayna Meyer (Long Beach State); Kelly Negron (UC Irvine); Elizabeth Schuster (Cal State Fullerton); Izzi Strand (UC San Diego)

Breanna Mitchell, CSUN  Women's Volleyball Freshman of the Week  Freshman • Libero • Temecula, Calif.

• CSUN libero Breanna Mitchell collected 51 digs over two matches in a weekend road split and pulled off the double of both Big West Defensive Player of the Week and Big West Freshman of the Week distinction.

• In Thursday night’s come-from-behind five-set victory at UC Riverside, the true freshman out of Temecula and Linfield Christian School equaled the program’s rally-scoring-era single-match record of 34 digs to lead all players. That total is also the fourth-best in school history overall, and tied for second-most in a Big West contest in 2022.

• On Saturday afternoon in a four-set loss at UC Davis, Mitchell added a team-high 17 digs to average 5.67 per set for the week. Mitchell has appeared in all 30 of CSUN’s matches and reached double-figure digs in all but five.

• In addition to those 51 digs, Mitchell contributed 10 set assists and a pair of aces, both in Davis, where the rookie was perfect in serve receive over 21 attempts.

• Mitchell is now a two-time Big West Defensive Player of the Week and Big West Freshman of the Week, having also earned the pair of recognitions together back on Sept. 19.

Also Nominated: Caylen Alexander (Hawai’i); Campbell Jensen (UC Irvine); Bianca Martinez (Cal State Fullerton); Zayna Meyer (Long Beach State); Aubrey Tanner (UC San Diego)

2022 Big West Women's Volleyball Weekly Winners