IRVING, Texas – The two squads atop the Conference USA standings are represented in this issue of weekly awards. WKU’s Jessica Lucas earned Setter of the Week, which marks her 18^th-career award, the most of any student-athlete in C-USA history. Her teammate Darby Music claimed her first Defensive Player of the Week nod. North Texas’ Amanda Chamberlain was named Offensive Player of the Week, and Valerie Valerian received Freshman of the Week.

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C-USA Offensive Player of the Week – Amanda Chamberlain, North Texas, Sr., Lake Wood, Calif.
Chamberlain’s offensive prowess aided North Texas in clinching a spot in the C-USA Championship and extending its program record win streak to 12 matches over the weekend. The Mean Green swept Marshall and Louisiana Tech as the senior middle blocker averaged 5.17 kills/set at an efficient hitting clip of .609. Chamberlain penned four blocks and 5.58 points/set, posting 13 kills with no errors against Marshall, and downing another 18 at Louisiana Tech. Her .480 attack percentage on the season is currently second-best in the nation, and her career .372 is on pace to crack a North Texas record.
 
C-USA Defensive Player of the Week – Darby Music, WKU, Fr., Lexington, Ky.
Music contributed a sound defensive showing in WKU’s extension of an NCAA-best 21 sweeps with a pair over Rice and Middle Tennessee. The Lady Toppers’ 23-match win streak now ranks as both the second-longest in program history and in the NCAA this season. The newcomer tied a team-high 20 digs (3.33/set), with a career 15 on Friday in addition to a service ace and 1.000 serve rate. She was also flawless in seven serve receive attempts that night. On Sunday, another perfect serving performance came on 11 serve receptions and three put into play.
 
C-USA Setter of the Week – Jessica Lucas, WKU, Sr., Seymour, Ind.
A continuous bright spot for WKU in the facilitator position, Lucas shined through two league sweeps over the weekend. The senior notched her seventh double-double of the season at Rice on 39 assists and 13 digs, with three block assists, five kills and two service aces. On Sunday in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Lucas tabbed 27 assists, seven digs, one block, two aces and four kills on .466 hitting. Overall, she was perfect on 36 serve attempts and averaged 11 assists/set at a .437 clip.
 
C-USA Freshman of the Week – Valerie Valerian, North Texas, Fr., Sugar Land, Texas
Valerian notched the first weekly award of her career as North Texas pushed its conference record to 11-1 with a pair of 3-set wins at Marshall and Louisiana Tech. The freshman combined for 18 kills (3.00/set), averaging a .302 attack percentage, with 12 digs and four blocks through six sets. She also tied her career-high with a pair of aces against the Bulldogs and was perfect in 10 serve receive attempts.
 

2017 C-USA Offensive Players of the Week
8/28    Amanda Chamberlain, North Texas
9/4     Tatyana Thomas, Charlotte
9/11    Alyssa Cavanaugh, WKU
9/18    Janell Sparks, Charlotte
9/25    Grace Morgan, Rice | Jac’cara Walker, Marshall
10/2    Janell Sparks, Charlotte
10/9     Alyssa Cavanaugh, WKU
10/16   Amanda Chamberlain, North Texas
10/23   Alyssa Cavanaugh, WKU
10/30   Marijeta Runjic, UTSA
11/6     Amanda Chamberlain, North Texas
 
2017 C-USA Defensive Players of the Week
8/28    Yumi Garcia, Charlotte
9/4      Yumi Garcia, Charlotte
9/11     Rachel Anderson, WKU
9/18    Sydney Engle, WKU
9/25    Sydney Engle, WKU
10/2    Sydney Engle, WKU
10/9    Grace Morgan, Rice
10/16   Sydney Engle, WKU
10/23   Grace Morgan, Rice
10/30   Sydney Engle, WKU
11/6     Darby Music, WKU
 
2017 C-USA Setter of the Week
8/28    Sarah Bell, Southern Miss
9/4      Jessica Lucas, WKU
9/11     Jessica Lucas, WKU
9/18     Jessica Lucas, WKU
9/25     Jessica Lucas, WKU
10/2     Jessica Lucas, WKU
10/9     Madison McDaniel, Rice
10/16   Karley York, North Texas
10/23   Madison McDaniel, Rice
10/30   Karley York, North Texas
11/6     Jessica Lucas, WKU
 
2017 C-USA Freshman of the Week
8/28    Nicole Lennon, Rice
9/4      Chandler Marshall, Southern Miss
9/11     Sydney Rowan, Charlotte      
9/18     Nicole Lennon, Rice
9/25     Nicole Lennon, Rice
10/2     Sydney Nemtuda, Florida Atlantic
10/9     Sydney Rowan, Charlotte
10/16   Barbara Teakell, North Texas
10/23   Sydney Nemtuda, Florida Atlantic
10/30   Barbara Teakell, North Texas
11/6      Valerie Valerian, North Texas