CLEVELAND – Crew Hoffmeier of the Northern Illinois University volleyball team was named the Mid-American Conference West Division Defensive Player of the Week, the league office announced on Monday (Sept. 18). 

Hoffmeier averaged 5.22 digs per set at the Northern Iowa Tournament, recording double-digit digs in all three matches. 

"I'm really glad to see Crew honored because she has been working very hard since day one," said NIU head coach Sondra Parys. "She is very high energy; wants to be the best she can be, and I think you can see that in how many balls she gets up every weekend. This weekend was the same, she is 100 percent all the time and finds a way to get the ball up. The more we continue to work with her she is just going to get better and better."

In NIU's victory over North Dakota last Friday (Sept. 15), the Louisville, Ky., native tallied 14 digs as the Huskie defense held the Fighting Hawks to just .153 hitting in a three-game sweep. Hoffmeier had a weekend-best 22 digs against Northern Iowa (Sept. 16) and recorded 11 against 25th-ranked Dayton (Sept. 15). 

For the season, Hoffmeier is averaging 5.19 digs per set, best in the MAC and 15th nationally. She has reached double figures in 11-of-12 matches, with three matches of 30-plus digs. Hoffmeier's 249 total digs this season are tops in the MAC and eighth nationally. 

This is the first weekly conference honor of the season for the Huskies, and the first for Hoffmeier, who joined NIU this season following two years at VCU. 

NIU will end its 11-match road trip and begin conference play this weekend as it takes on Bowling Green. The Huskies and Falcons will meet on Thursday, Sept. 21 and Friday, Sept. 22, first serve for both matches is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT.