BETHLEHEM, Pa. – American garnered two of the three Patriot League women’s volleyball weekly awards, when the League office announced the honors Tuesday. Holy Cross received the remaining award.
The Patriot League women’s volleyball players of the week are selected in a vote by League head coaches, who are not eligible to vote for their student-athletes.
Patriot League Women’s Volleyball Player of the Week
Salme Hollas, American, Sr., Outside Hitter, Tartu, Estonia/ Hugo Treffneri Gümnaasium
*Hollas guided American to 2-0 weekend and their ninth straight win with 24 kills on a .328 hitting percentage, 15 digs, three blocks and an ace.
*In the Eagles’ sweep of Colgate, the senior hit .448 with 15 kills and seven digs.
*The Estonia native is fifth in the Patriot League in points per set (3.67) and kills per set (3.13).
*Hollas collected the second Player of the Week award of her career (Sept. 2, 2025).
Patriot League Women’s Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week
Bella Marrero, American, Jr., Libero, Burbank, Calif./Campbell Hall
*Marrero racked up 32 digs, nine assists and four service aces in American’s 2-0 weekend.
*The junior had 13 digs and two aces in a sweep of Colgate as well as 19 digs and two aces in a three-set win at Bucknell on Saturday.
*The Burbank, Calif. native is second in the Patriot League in digs (280) and digs per set (4.44).
*Marrero collected her third straight Defensive Player of the Week award and fourth of the season.
Patriot League Women’s Volleyball Rookie of the Week
Kat Teepe, Holy Cross, Right Side Hitter, Fr., St. Louis, Mo./St. Joseph’s Academy
*Teepe collected her second Rookie of the Week award this season after guiding Holy Cross to a 3-0 week, which included two Patriot League victories.
*The freshman hit .294. with 37 kills (3.36 K/S), 16 total blocks (1.45 BLK/S), seven digs, three aces and an assist.
*She hit .364 with 11 kills, seven blocks and a pair of digs in a 3-1 win over Loyola Maryland, before recording a match-high 16 kills in a four-set victory at Bucknell.
Honorable Mention
Marlee Lightsey, Army West Point, Fr., Outside Hitter, New Braunfels, Texas/Canyon
*Lightsey totaled 19 kills, 18 digs and one block in Army West Point’s 0-2 weekend. She recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 12 kills and 10 digs against Lehigh.
*The freshman is 10th in the Patriot League in points per set (3.03).
Juliette Myrick, Army West Point, Sr., Setter, St. Louis, Mo./Eureka
*Myrick finished Army West Point’s 0-2 weekend with 51 assists, 21 digs, 15 kills, three aces and two blocks.
*The senior recorded the Patriot League’s first triple-double this season with 10 kills, 26 assists and 11 digs against Navy.
Nicole Stroud, Army West Point, Jr., Libero, Fort Worth, Texas/Fort Worth Christian
*Stroud totaled 26 digs (4.33 per set), two assists and two aces in Army West Point’s 3-1 losses to Navy and Lehigh.
*The junior ranks fifth in the Patriot League in digs per set (4.11).
Stella Labrecque, Colgate, Fy., Middle Blocker, Saint-Hubert, Quebec, Canada/
Cégep Édouard-Montpetit
*Labrecque recorded six kills and eight blocks in Colgate’s 1-1 weekend, which included sweeping Lafayette on Sunday.
*The first-year ranks third in the Patriot League in blocks per set (1.18) and fifth in total blocks (65).
Kyla Harris, Holy Cross, So., Middle Blocker, Gaithersburg, Md./Bullis School
*Harris recorded 20 blocks (1.82 per ser), 13 kills, five aces, four digs and two assists in Holy Cross’ 3-0 week.
*The sophomore matched her career-high with eight blocks to go with five kills on a .500 hitting percentage in the Crusaders’ 3-1 win over Loyola Maryland. She added six blocks and four kills in a four-set victory at Bucknell.
*The Gaithersburg, Md. native is sixth in the Patriot League in blocks per set (1.08) and eighth in total blocks (52).
Emma Sorensen, Holy Cross, So., Outside Hitter, Dallas, Texas/Ursuline Academy of Dallas
*Sorensen guided Holy Cross to a 3-0 week with 41 kills (3.73 per set), 25 digs, six aces and three blocks.
*The sophomore recorded a game-high 17 kills, hitting .259, with eight digs and a pair of aces in the 3-1 home win over Loyola Maryland.
*The Dallas, Texas native registered her ninth double-double with 13 kills and 10 digs in a four-set win at Bucknell.
*Sorensen is fourth in the Patriot League in points per set (3.81) and kills per set (3.35).
Paighton Erb, Lehigh, Fy., Middle Blocker, Columbus, Neb./Columbus
*Erb totaled 10 kills and four block assists in Lehigh’s road wins over Army West Point (3-1) and Navy (3-0).
Ufuoma Omene, Lehigh, Sr., Right Side Hitter, South Holland, Ill.
*Omene led Lehigh to 2-0 weekend with 23 kills on a .255 hitting percentage, five digs and four total blocks.
*The senior had a season-high 16 kills while hitting .333 in the Mountain Hawks’ 3-1 win at Army West Point on Saturday.
*The South Holland, Ill. native is ninth in the Patriot League in points per set (3.08).
Olivia Lasee, Lehigh, Sr., Middle Blocker, Appleton, Wis./Appleton North
*Lasee anchored Lehigh’s defensive effort in a 2-0 week with nine blocks, 15 kills on a .433 hitting percentage and three service aces.
*In the Mountain Hawks’ sweep at Navy, the senior recorded 12 kills, hitting .611, with six blocks and a pair of aces.
*The Appleton, Wis. Native leads the Patriot League in hitting percentage (.420) and blocks per set (1.22).
2026 Patriot League Women’s Volleyball Standings (through Oct. 13)
ONLINE SCHEDULE |
ONLINE STATS
Player of the Week
9.1 – Elise Sterling, American, Jr., MB
9.8 – Ufuoma Omene, Lehigh, Sr., RS
9.15 – Tiana Owens, Colgate, Jr., OH
9.22 – Farrah Eike, Navy, Jr., OH
9.29 – Ellen Gundlach, Navy, So., OPP
10.6 – Deniz Dakak, American, Jr., S
10.13 – Salme Hollas, American, Sr., OH
Defensive Player of the Week
9.1 – Bella Marrero, American, Jr., L
9.8 – Nicole Stroud, Army West Point, Jr., L
9.15 – Lacey Murphy, Holy Cross, Jr., MB
9.22 – Amara Chambers, Navy, Jr., L
9.29 – Bella Marrero, American, Jr., L
10.6 – Bella Marrero, American, Jr., L
10.13 – Bella Marrero, American, Jr., L
Rookie of the Week
9.1 – Kat Teepe, Holy Cross, Fy., RS
9.8 – Marlee Lightsey, Army West Point, Fr., OH
9.15 – Marlee Lightsey, Army West Point, Fr., OH
9.22 – Marlee Lightsey, Army West Point, Fr., OH
9.29 – Marlee Lightsey, Army West Point, Fr., OH
10.6 – Marion Haskell, Bucknell, Fr., OPP
10.13 – Kat Teepe, Holy Cross, Fy., RS
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.