Taylor French - AVCA Player of the Week - Oct. 31, 2023

French Named AVCA/GameChanger Player & CCIW Hitter of the Week

Becomes first player in AVCA history to earn national award back-to-back weeks

11/7/2023 1:30:00 PM

AVCA Release

CCIW Release

LEXINGTON, Ky. - A day removed from earning College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-CCIW honors, sophomore Taylor French (Romeoville, Ill.-Plainfield East) of the Illinois Wesleyan University women's volleyball team etched two more awards to her already impressive resume, as she was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association/GameChanger National Player of the Week, and CCIW Hitter of the Week, announced by the organizations Tuesday, Nov. 7.

French collects her second straight national honor, becoming the first player in the AVCA's history to do so. Illinois Wesleyan becomes the first school in Division III history to earn the award in back-to-back weeks, and the fifth NCAA school to do so. IWU joins Stanford University (Nov. 26 & Dec. 3, 2013),University of Nebraska-Kearney (Nov. 9 & Nov. 23, 2010), University of Northern Colorado (Nov. 11 & Nov. 18, 2002), and University of Nebraska (Nov. 25 & Dec. 2, 2002).

The sophomore also became the first women's volleyball player in CCIW history to earn four-straight weekly awards and six in a season. With eight accolades to her name, French ties now-assistant coach Tyler Brown for the most conference player of the week awards in a career in program history.

French helped lead the Illinois Wesleyan offense to a 2-0 week, extending the Titan's win streak to nine. For the week French finished with 43 kills on a whopping .333 attack percentage, averaging 6.14 kills per set, while adding 20 digs, four aces, and an assist to her loaded stat line. One of the nation's top offensive threats, French posted an average of 6.71 points per set after collecting 47 for the week.

In Wednesday's quick sweep over Webster University, a match that lasted only 75 minutes, French compiled 16 kills on a freakish .406 attack percentage, while adding a trio of aces and 11 digs, guiding her to achieve her 19th double-double performance of the season. French finished the week with 27 kills, tying her career-high, in the four-set victory over Aurora University Saturday, Nov. 4, posting a .296 clip for the match to go along with nine digs and an ace. Her 27 kills ties for the most kills in a four-set match in program history, as she matches now-assistant coach Tyler Brown's 27 against Bowdoin College Oct. 22, 2016.

French and the Titans will take on Augustana College tonight, Nov. 7, in the CCIW Tournament Quarterfinals. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside the Shirk Center.

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