WASHINGTON - The first Patriot League Volleyball Rookie of the Week honor of the 2024 season belongs to American University freshman outside hitter Zedo Yilmaz, who was outstanding for the Eagles in a 4-0 week. Yilmaz joins teammates Holly Hopkins and Esma Sipahi as the only winners of the award from American since 2021.

Yilmaz amassed double digits in kills in all four of AU's matches, leading or tying for the team lead in three of those. She recorded two double-doubles, adding a match-high 15 digs to 14 kills in a three-set sweep at Georgetown, and posting 10 digs to go with 12 kills in a 3-1 win at George Washington.

In the Patriot League statistical rankings, Yilmaz is atop the list in both kills per set (4.0) and points per set (4.54) while ranking seventh in digs per set (3.07) and 10th in hitting percentage (.280).

The Eagles will be playing their next five matches at home in Bender Arena, starting with a 2:30 p.m. contest against Coppin State on Wednesday, Sept. 4.

Patriot League Women's Volleyball Player of the Week
Gracie Reisman, Holy Cross, Jr., RS, Cincinnati, Ohio/Saint Ursula Academy
*Reisman posted a team-high 43 kills (3.07 k/s) to hit a League-best .451 to earn a spot on the Skyhawk Invitational All-Tournament Team.
*She hit .588 with 10 kills and two digs in the Crusaders' season-opening 3-1 victory over Siena.|
*The junior right-side hitter posted a career-high 18 kills, hitting .469 with three blocks in a loss vs. Stonehill and hit .364 with 15 kills in a 3-2 loss vs. Purdue Fort Wayne.

 Patriot League Women's Volleyball Rookie of the Week
Zedo Yilmaz, American, Fr., OH, Istanbul, Turkey/Kemerburgaz Okyanus
*Yilmaz posted double-digit kills in all four matches while hitting .280 with 43 digs to lead American to a 4-0 start to the 2024 season with wins against Georgetown (3-0), George Mason (3-0), UC Riverside (3-1) and George Washington (3-1).
*The Istanbul native posted a double-double with 14 kills and a match-high 15 digs in a 3-0 victory over Georgetown. She added 12 kills and 10 digs in a 3-1 victory over George Washington.
*Through the first weekend, Yilmaz leads the Patriot League in kills per set (4.0), points per set (4.54), seventh in digs (3.07) and 10th in hitting percentage (.280).

Honorable Mention
Lilou Stegeman, American, Sr., MB, Lutz, Fla./George Steinbrenner
*Stegeman hit .450 with 34 total kills (2.43 k/s), 13 digs and 11 total blocks (0.79 b/s), leading American to a 4-0 opening weekend. The senior middle blocker recorded 12 kills, hitting .579 with four digs and two total blocks in a 3-1 victory over George Washington.

Kingsley Wallace, Army West Point, Sr., RS, Houston Texas/Memorial Senior
*Wallace hit .338 with 33 kills and nine total blocks to lead Army West Point to a 2-1 start to the season, including wins against Hampton (3-0) and Oakland (3-2). She posted 15 kills in the five-set win vs. Oakland before hitting .391 with nine kills in a loss at Buffalo.

Milan Bayless, Colgate, So., OH, La Mesa, Calif./Cathedral Catholic
*Bayless recorded 33 kills (3.3 k/s) in three matches against Power Four opponents. The sophomore outside hitter finished with 18 kills and six digs in a 3-2 loss vs. Duke in their season opener.

Natalie Luscomb, Lehigh, Jr., RS, Annapolis, Md./Broadneck
*Luscomb hit .438 with 36 kills (3.0 kills per set) and five total blocks to lead Lehigh to a 2-1 opening weekend, including wins against Morgan State (3-1) and Saint Francis (3-0). She posted 16 kills, hitting .609, in the Mountain Hawks 3-1 win over the Bears on Friday. She also had 15 kills in a 3-2 loss vs. Towson.

Kacy Sekunda, Loyola Maryland, Sr., S/OPP, Boalsburg, Pa./State College Area
*Sekunda earned All-Tournament honors at the Hampton Inn & Suites Seahawk Classic after averaging 2.73 kills, 3.55 assists and 2.73 digs per set during the Greyhounds' three-match weekend. In a 3-1 victory over Queens, she posted her fifth career triple-double with 15 kills, 13 assists and 12 digs.

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