Taylor French - AVCA National Player of the Week

French Named AVCA Division III National Player of the Week

Third national weekly award of senior’s career

11/4/2025 12:41:00 PM

AVCA Release

LEXINGTON, Ky. - For the third time in her illustrious career, senior Taylor French (Romeoville, Ill.-Plainfield East) of the sixth-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University women's volleyball team was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III National Player of the Week, announced by the organization Tuesday, Nov. 4.

It marks the most national weekly accolades for a Titan, as she surpasses now-assistant coach Tyler White (nee Brown), who earned the honor twice. French also becomes the second Titan to earn the accolade this season, as Kannyn Boyd garnered the nod Sept. 2. French became the first player in AVCA history to earn the national weekly award in back-to-back weeks, as her previous honors came Oct. 31 and Nov. 7, 2023. IWU becomes the first team this season to claim two weekly accolades from the AVCA, and the first since UW-Whitewater did so during the 2024 season (Sept. 1 and 15).

The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Hitter of the Week, French led the Illinois Wesleyan offense to an impressive 3-0 week, including two top-five wins over the weekend as IWU clinched the CCIW Regular Season Championship outright, marking the first time the Titans have won back-to-back championships in program history.

For the week, French recorded 51 kills, an impressive average of 4.64 per set, but the biggest stat line came Wednesday night, Oct. 29, when she became the program's all-time kills leader, as she surpassed now-assistant coach Tyler White (nee Brown) with her 1778th kill. French also notched 35 digs, an average of 3.18 per set, seven aces, averaging 0.64 per set, four blocks, and an assist.

The senior opened the week with her record-breaking performance in the four-set win over CCIW foe Carroll University Wednesday night, as she finished with a 13-kill, 13-dig double-double performance, along with two blocks and an ace. French followed with a dominant performance against No. 3 University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, leading the Green and White to a sweep Friday night, Oct. 31. The senior posted 17 kills on a monstrous .452 attack percentage, as she committed just three attack errors on 31 swings, 15 digs, three aces, and a pair of blocks to secure sweep in an ecstatic Shirk Center. The Romeoville, Ill. product finished the week with 21 kills, seven digs, three aces, and an assist in the four-set win over No. 5 Juniata College Saturday, Nov. 1, stunning the three-time defending national champions to complete a sensational Senior Day for the Titans. The weekend efforts landed French IWU Tournament III All-Tournament Team honors.

French and the Titans host Augustana College for their regular season finale Wednesday night, Nov. 5. Action is set to begin inside Shirk Center at 7 p.m.

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