CHICAGO – For the second time this season, and the third time in her career, fifth year libero Nalani Iosia has been named B1G Defensive Player of the Week. Iosia is the first player in program history to earn three B1G Defensive Player of the Week awards since it originated in 2005.
Iosia led the Spartans to a 2-0 week which included wins over archrival Michigan (3-1) and Iowa (3-0). Michigan State held its opponents to .073 hitting last week, a mark that topped the Big Ten conference. Against Iowa on Sunday, November 17, MSU held the Hawkeyes to -.020 hitting, the lowest mark against the Spartans in B1G action since 2014 (Indiana, -.075).
On a personal level, Iosia posted 5.00 digs/set on 35 total digs and tallied her 11th match of the season with 20 or more digs last Friday against Michigan when she had 23. On the season Iosia holds a commanding lead in digs/set among her B1G peers with 4.49 on 445 total digs. She has been even better in conference play averaging 4.54 digs/set.
Her 4.49 digs/set would be the sixth-best mark in program history if the season ended today. Iosia has amassed 1,395 digs in three seasons at MSU to rank fifth in program history for career digs.
MSU returns to the Breslin Student Events Center for a pair of B1G conference matches this week hosting Oregon on Thursday, November 21 and Maryland on Saturday, November 23.
Release courtesy of MSU Athletics.
