WESTWOOD, Mass. -- Mount Holyoke sophomore Kyra Staples claimed the first NEWMAC Women's Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week award of the 2024 season on Tuesday, as the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference announced its first round of weekly student-athlete awards for the fall season.
Staples (Chatham, Ill.) averaged a league-high 7.00 digs per set as Mount Holyoke opened the season with 3-0 victories over Eastern Connecticut State and St. Joseph (Conn.) on Saturday. Staples also received 26 serves without an error and averaged 1.00 aces per set.
The Lyons' libero tallied 31 assists in Mount Holyoke's straight-sets victory over Eastern Connecticut State, after falling to ECSU by 3-0 scores on the opening day of both the 2022 and 2023 seasons. She currently leads the NEWMAC in digs per set by a margin of 1.75 over second place.
Staples and the Lyons (2-0) next play at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts on Thursday at 7pm.
