BETHLEHEM, Pa. – American claimed two of the three Patriot League women’s volleyball weekly awards, while Holy Cross received one, when the League office announced the first set of honors for the 2026 season on Tuesday.
American’s middle blocker Elise Sterling collected Patriot League Women’s Volleyball Player of the Week honors. The senior logged 41 kills (3.15 per set) with a .345 hitting percentage across three matches, which included putting down a career-high 20 kills in a five-set victory over Northwestern.
Eagles’ libero Bella Marrero was selected as the Patriot League Women’s Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week after totaling 41 digs across American’s 2-1 weekend, which included a win over Virginia (3-1) on Sunday.
Holy Cross freshman right-side hitter Kat Teepe was honored as the Patriot League Women’s Volleyball Rookie of the Week. Teepe recorded 49 kills on a .297 hitting percentage to land on the Central Connecticut State Tournament All-Tournament Team.
Honorable mentions went to Army West Point sophomore right-side hitter Kennedy Jones and senior setter Juliette Myrick, Bucknell freshman opposite hitter Marion Haskell and senior middle blocker Sidney Shaffer, Colgate freshman setter Reagan Knipling and junior libero/defensive specialist Hannah Langton, Lafayette freshman libero Alyssa Chu and junior outside hitter Auma Mbeche-Odhiambo, and Lehigh sophomore outside hitter Mary Massias.
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.
2026 Patriot League Women’s Volleyball Standings (through Sept. 1)
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ONLINE STATS
Patriot League Women’s Volleyball Player of the Week
Elise Sterling, American, Jr., Middle Blocker, Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg
*Sterling led American to a 2-1 weekend with 41 kills (3.15 per set) on a .345 hitting percentage.
*The junior added seven blocks, nine digs and four service aces to total 49.5 points (3.81 per set).
*The Orland Park, Ill. native delivered a career-high 20 kills in the Eagles’ five-set win over Northwestern and followed with a team-high 12 kills in a win over Virginia (3-1).
Patriot League Women’s Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week
Bella Marrero, American, Jr., Libero, Burbank, Calif./Campbell Hall
*Marrero, the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, earned the first weekly award after totaling 41 digs in American’s 2-1 weekend.
*The junior had 20 digs in the Eagles’ five-set win over Northwestern on Saturday.
*The Burbank, Calif. native collected the second Defensive Player of the Week award of her career.
Patriot League Women’s Volleyball Rookie of the Week
Kat Teepe, Holy Cross, Fy., Right-Side Hitter, St. Louis, Mo./St. Joseph’s Academy
*Teepe landed on the Central Connecticut State Tournament All-Tournament Team after totaling 49 kills on a .297 hitting percentage in a 1-2 weekend for Holy Cross.
*The first-year tallied a match-high 20 kills, hitting .417, with a pair of digs and a block in a 3-1 victory over Siena.
Honorable Mention
Kennedy Jones, Army West Point, So., Right-Side Hitter, Burbank, Calif./Campbell Hall
*Jones guided the Black Knights to a 2-1 opening weekend with 32 kills, hitting .319, adding 10 digs and 10 blocks. The sophomore tallied 18 kills, hitting .452, and a career-high five blocks in a five-set win over UAlbany.
Juliette Myrick, Army West Point, Sr., Setter, St. Louis, Mo./Eureka
*Myrick led Army West Point to a 2-1 weekend at the Black Knight Invitational with 23 kills, 75 assists, 22 digs, eight service aces and two blocks.
*The senior finished with a career-high 16.0 points on a career-best 12 kills 35 assists, nine digs and a career-high four service aces in the Black Knights’ five-set win over UAlbany.
Marion Haskell, Bucknell, Fr., Opposite Hitter, Birmingham, Ala./John Carroll Catholic
*Haskell finished the Marshall Invitational with 26 kills on a .271 hitting percentage, which included 13 kills in a 3-1 win over Niagara.
Sidney Shaffer, Bucknell, Sr., Middle Blocker, Orange County, Calif./Villa Park
*Shaffer earned All-Tournament Team honors at the Marshall Invitational after totaling 31 kills on a .526 hitting percentage. The senior collected 13 kills in a four-set win over Niagara.
Reagan Knipling, Colgate, Fy., Setter, Richmond, Texas/Foster
*Knipling helped Colgate to a 1-2 weekend at the Tennessee Tournament with two kills, 45 assists, six service aces and 23 digs. In the Raiders’ 3-2 win over Morehead St., the first-year had 27 assists, four service aces, and 16 digs.
Hannah Langton, Colgate, Jr., Libero/Defensive Specialist, Kingston, Ill./Genoa-Kingston
*Langton totaled 46 digs, 17 assists and two service aces in Colgate’s 2-1 weekend at the Tennessee Tournament. The junior had 11 assists and 25 digs in the Raiders’ five-set victory over Morehead State.
Alyssa Chu, Lafayette, Fr., Libero, San Diego, Calif./Patrick Henry
*Chu led Lafayette to a 2-1 record at the Maroon and White Classic with 49 digs (4.57 per set) across 13 sets.
Auma Mbeche-Odhiambo, Lafayette, Outside Hitter, Jr., Houston, Texas/Bellaire
*Mbeche-Odhiambo led Lafayette to a 2-1 weekend at the Maroon and White Classic with 46 kills (4.43 per set), 46 digs, seven blocks and four service aces. The junior recorded double-doubles in victories over Marist (17 kills, 16 digs) and Delaware (15 kills, 21 digs).
Mary Massias, Lehigh, So., Outside Hitter, Gainesville, Fla./The Rock School
*Massias totaled 23 kills, 17 digs and four blocks while hitting .432 for the tournament to lead Lehigh to a 3-0 start and earning Steel Classic MVP honors. The sophomore recorded a career-high 13 kills against Cleveland State and a career-high seven digs against Morgan State.
Player of the Week
9.1 – Elise Sterling, American, Jr., MB
Defensive Player of the Week
9.1 – Bella Marrero, American, Jr., L
Rookie of the Week
9.1 – Kat Teepe, Holy Cross, Fy., RS
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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.