American received two of the three Patriot League women’s volleyball weekly awards announced on October 6, 2026. Junior setter Deniz Dakak earned Player of the Week honors, while teammate Bella Marrero secured Defensive Player of the Week. Bucknell’s Marion Haskell rounded out the major accolades as Rookie of the Week.
Dakak Directs American’s High-Efficiency Attack
Deniz Dakak orchestrated an aggressive American offense that registered a .315 collective hitting percentage across a 2-0 weekend. The junior from Istanbul distributed 93 total assists, averaging 13.29 assists per set, while chipping in 15 digs, five blocks, four service aces, and three kills. Dakak now leads the Patriot League in assists per set (10.51), a mark that ranks 18th in NCAA Division I. This performance earned the setter the first Player of the Week recognition of her career.
Defensively, junior libero Bella Marrero captured her second straight Defensive Player of the Week award and third of the season. Over American’s two-win weekend, Marrero put up two aces, seven assists, and 31 digs—a total that featured 17 digs during a sweep of Navy and 14 digs in a four-set victory against Loyola Maryland. The Burbank,Calif. native ranks third in the Patriot League in total digs (248) and digs per set (4.35).
Bucknell’s Haskell Dominates at the Net
Bucknell freshman Marion Haskell claimed Rookie of the Week honors after posting 32 kills (3.56 per set) on a .391 hitting percentage. The Birmingham, Ala. native produced 14 kills in a four-set win over Army West Point and 18 kills in a five-set victory against Colgate. Haskell added four digs and three blocks to her stat line.
Teammate Sidney Shaffer bolstered Bucknell’s front line alongside Haskell, earning an honorable mention after totaling 26 kills on a .362 hitting percentage and 10 blocks over the 2-0 weekend. Shaffer produced a team-high 19 kills and six blocks in a five-set win over Colgate, and is seventh in the Patriot League in points per set (3.25).
| Player | School | Position | Key Weekly Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deniz Dakak | American | Setter | 93 assists (13.29/set), .315 team hitting % |
| Bella Marrero | American | Libero | 31 digs, 7 assists, 2 aces |
| Marion Haskell | Bucknell | Opposite Hitter | 32 kills, .391 hitting %, 3 blocks |
| Sidney Shaffer | Bucknell | Middle Blocker | 26 kills, .362 hitting %, 10 blocks |
Backline Standouts and Honorable Mentions
Army West Point junior libero Nicole Stroud earned honorable mention recognition after anchoring her back line with 32 digs (4.57 per set) and a 1.000 reception percentage on 26 attempts during a 1-1 weekend. Stroud is fifth in the Patriot League in total digs (200) and digs per set (4.08). Drew Flanagan, a Holy Cross freshman setter, also collected honorable mention accolades after finishing with 79 assists (8.78 per set), 22 digs (2.44 per set), four aces, four kills, and four total blocks; her performance was highlighted by a 3-2 victory at Lafayette where she notched her first career double-double behind a career-best 45 assists and a personal-high 17 digs.
Representing Lehigh, junior defensive specialist and libero Sophia Bond helped the squad to a 2-0 record by tallying 13 assists, four service aces, and 29 digs, putting her eighth in the Patriot League in digs per set (3.63) and second in aces per set (0.48). Freshman middle blocker Paighton Erb added efficient middle play for the Mountain Hawks, recording six kills on a .625 hitting percentage in the sweep of Colgate. Meanwhile, Loyola Maryland senior outside hitter Morgan Crawford rounded out the notables by collecting 55 kills on a .302 hitting percentage, including a career-high 24 kills and 15 digs in a four-set win at Navy.
