BETHLEHEM, Pa. – American received two of the three Patriot League women’s volleyball weekly awards, when the League office announced the honors Tuesday. Bucknell collected the remaining accolade.
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
Deniz Dakak, American, Jr., Setter, Istanbul, Turkey/Irmak
*Dakak dished out 93 assists (13.29 per set) that drove American to a .315 hitting percentage in a 2-0 weekend.
*The junior added 15 digs, five blocks, four service aces and three kills.
*The Istanbul, Turkey native leads the Patriot League in assists per set (10.51), which ranks 18th in NCAA Division I.
*Dakak collected the first Player of the Week award of her career.
Patriot League Women’s Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week
Bella Marrero, American, Jr., Libero, Burbank, Calif./Campbell Hall
*Marrero collected her second straight Defensive Player of the Week award and third of the season after logging 31 digs, seven assists and two aces in American’s 2-0 weekend.
*The junior had 14 digs in a four-set win over Loyola Maryland and 17 digs in a sweep of Navy.
*The Burbank, Calif. native is third in the Patriot League in total digs (248) and digs per set (4.35).
Patriot League Women’s Volleyball Rookie of the Week
Marion Haskell, Bucknell, Fr., Opposite Hitter, Birmingham, Ala./John Carroll Catholic
*Haskell posted 32 kills (3.56 per set) on a .391 hitting percentage, four digs and three blocks in Bucknell’s 2-0 weekend.
*The freshman produced 14 kills in four-set win over Army West Point and 18 kills in a five-set victory against Colgate.
Honorable Mention
Nicole Stroud, Army West Point, Jr., Libero, Fort Worth, Texas/Fort Worth Christian
*Stroud led Army West Point’s back line in a 1-1 weekend, finishing with 32 digs (4.57 per set) and a 1.000 reception percentage on 26 attempts.
*The junior is fifth in the Patriot League in total digs (200) and digs per set (4.08).
Sidney Shaffer, Bucknell, Sr., Middle Blocker, Orange County, Calif./Villa Park
*Shaffer totaled 26 kills on a .362 hitting percentage and added 10 blocks in Bucknell’s 2-0 weekend.
*The senior produced a team-high 19 kills and six blocks in a five-set win over Colgate.
*The Orange County, Calif. native is seventh in the Patriot League in points per set (3.25).
Drew Flanagan, Holy Cross, Fr., Setter, Scottsdale, Ariz./Chaparral
*Flanagan helped Holy Cross to a 1-1 weekend by recording 79 assists (8.78 per set), 22 digs (2.44 per set), four kills, four aces and four total blocks.
*The freshman handed out a career-high 45 assists with a personal-best 17 digs for her first career double-double with three kills and three total blocks in the 3-2 win at Lafayette on Friday.
Sophia Bond, Lehigh, Jr., Defensive Specialist/Libero, Olathe, Kan./St. Thomas Aquinas
*Bond helped Lehigh to a 2-0 weekend with 29 digs, four service aces and 13 assists.
*The Olathe, Kan. native recorded 12 digs and five assists in a sweep of Lafayette as well as 17 digs, three aces and eight assists against Holy Cross (3-1).
*The junior is second in the Patriot League in aces per set (0.48) and eighth in digs per set (3.63).
Paighton Erb, Lehigh, Fy., Middle Blocker, Columbus, Neb.
*Erb played a role in Lehigh’s 2-0 weekend as the first-year recorded six kills on a .625 hitting percentage in the Mountain Hawks’ sweep of Colgate on Friday.
Morgan Crawford, Loyola Maryland, Sr., Outside Hitter, Richmond, Va./Atlee
*Crawford had 55 kills on a .302 hitting percentage, 35 digs, three blocks and two service aces in Loyola Maryland’s 1-2 week.
*In the Greyhounds’ four-set win at Navy on Friday, the senior produced a double-double with a career-high 24 kills and 15 digs.
*The Richmond, Va. native is sixth in the Patriot League kills per set (2.86) and eighth in points per set (3.25).
2026 Patriot League Women’s Volleyball Standings (through Oct. 6)
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
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
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
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.