Wildcats Sweep ECC Weekly Awards

Logan, Alessi, Brundage, Kuliga all recognized for play during 3-0 week

10/12/2021 10:32:00 AM

By: CONTACT: Mike Miranto, Sr. Associate A.D. for External Operations & Communications | (716) 839-8385 | mmiranto@daemen.edu

AMHERST, N.Y. - Sam Logan (Eden, N.Y.), Olivia Alessi (East Aurora, N.Y.), Jasmine Brundage (East Aurora, N.Y.) and Vanessa Kuliga (Glenview, Ill.) of the Daemen College women's volleyball team have all been named weekly award recipients by the East Coast Conference after leading the Wildcats to a perfect 3-0 record last week. The official announcement of weekly awards was made in the ECC's weekly women's volleyball report which was released this morning. It marks the first time since the ECC revamped its weekly awards in 2018 that a single team has swept all four awards.

Logan, a 5-foot-10 senior outside hitter, was named the ECC Player of the Week after averaging 3.20 kills, 3.10 digs and 0.60 service aces per set while leading the Wildcats to victories over Edinboro (3-1), Mercy (3-0) and Bridgeport (3-0). She recorded a pair of double-doubles, her second and third of the season and the ninth and 10th of her career. Logan powered down a team-high 13 kills and added 12 digs and three aces in Thursday's defeat of Edinboro, helping the Wildcats snap the Fighting Scots' eight-match winning streak. She doubled up again with a team-high 11 kills and 10 digs as Daemen handed Mercy its first conference loss of the season Saturday. Logan added eight kills, nine digs and a season-high three blocks in Sunday's win at Bridgeport.

It marks the first ECC weekly award in Logan's four-year career, and it comes as she ranks fifth among the ECC leaders in kills per set (2.89). She is the third Daemen player to be named ECC Player of the Week this season, joining three-time recipient Caitlyn Meyer (Clarence, N.Y.) and fellow outside hitter Maggie Burns (Louisville, Ky.). In the six total weeks so far this season, Daemen has accounted for five ECC Player of the Week selections.

Alessi, a 5-foot-4 sophomore, has been named ECC Setter of the Week for the third time this season after averaging 10.80 assists and 3.20 digs per set. She also recorded two double-doubles, and now has 11 this season - all in the last 14 matches. Alessi took match-high honors with 36 assists vs. Edinboro, 34 assists vs. Mercy and 38 assists vs. Bridgeport. She added 14 digs against the Fighting Scots and 13 digs Sunday against the Purple Knights.

Alessi is averaging 9.00 assists per set this season - third best among the ECC leaders. She is one of two players in the conference to be averaging at least 9.0 assists and 2.50 digs per set.

Like Alessi, Brundage is a multi-time weekly honoree. The 5-foot-5 sophomore earns ECC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the fourth time this season after averaging 4.30 digs per set in the three Wildcat victories. Brundage posted match-highs of 19 digs vs. Edinboro, 11 digs vs. Mercy and 13 digs vs. Bridgeport. She ranks first in total digs (268) and second in digs per set (4.06) among the conference leaders.

A 6-foot sophomore middle blocker, Kuliga is now a two-time ECC Rookie of the Week selection. Sophomores are eligible for the award because there was no conference season in 2020 due to COVID-19. Kuliga had a monster week for the Wildcats, averaging 2.90 kills and 1.10 blocks per set with a .600 hitting percentage. She put down 11 kills on a .625 hitting percentage vs. Edinboro. After totaling eight kills on a mere .538 hitting percentage vs. Mercy, Kuliga finished the week with 10 kills on a .625 hitting percentage while five blocks - one shy of her career-high.

Kuliga has now posted 10+ kills and a .600 hitting percentage or better in four matches. She presently leads the ECC with a .350 hitting percentage.

Daemen has won eight of their last nine matches, going 25-7 in sets during that span. They are the only ECC team remaining without a conference loss and rank first in the league in kills (13.51), assists (12.31) and blocks (1.70) per set.

The Wildcats conclude the opening round of conference play Wednesday (Oct. 13) when they make the short trip to the west side of Buffalo to face D'Youville.

Daemen College features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 18 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.

Follow the Daemen College women's volleyball program on Twitter and Instagram at @DaemenWVB.

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