Volleyball | 9/15/2025 4:18:56 PM
NORFOLK, Va., September 15 - Coppin State’s TaKenya Stafford has been named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Player of the Week, the league announced today. Maryland Eastern Shore’s Jayda Hutchins earned Rookie of the Week honors, Howard’s Leah Reeves was recognized as Setter of the Week, and Coppin State’s Coco Figueroa was named Defensive Player of the Week.
Stafford (CSU, Jr.-Sr., OH, Los Angeles, Calif.) led Coppin State to wins over Lafayette, Penn, and Iona, collecting two consecutive double-doubles along the way. Across five matches, she totaled 71 kills, 44 digs, two assists, seven aces, and eight blocks. She tallied 18 kills and 11 digs in a 3-1 victory over Lehigh and added another double-double (15 kills, 10 digs) with a block in a four-set match against Georgetown.
Hutchins (UMES, Fr., S, Henderson, Nev.) recorded 103 assists, 15 kills, 23 digs, six blocks, and one ace over three matches. She set a career-high with 45 assists, 10 digs, one ace, and a block against Marshall, while adding a double-double of 23 assists and 10 digs (with five kills) against Virginia Tech.
Reeves (Howard, Sr., S, Allen, Texas) averaged 9.36 assists per set while guiding the Bison to a 1-1 record. She dished out 47 assists in a five-set match against North Carolina A&T and followed with 40 assists in a 3-0 sweep of American. For the week, she totaled 87 assists, 10 digs, six aces, and two kills.
Figueroa (CSU, Jr., L/DS, Bayamón, Puerto Rico) averaged 6.05 digs per set, highlighted by back-to-back 30-dig performances against Georgetown (31) and Penn (31). She recorded double-digit digs in every match during the week, finishing with 26 assists (1.37 per set) and two kills to help Coppin State to a 3-2 record.
Other Top Performers
· Ava Berry (NSU) posted 12 blocks (two solo) and eight kills in matches against Liberty and William & Mary.
· Cherisse Atilano (CSU) recorded a double-double with 16 kills and 14 digs in a win over Penn.
· Gabrielle Gilbert (NSU) registered 26 kills, 12 digs, and four blocks in two matches.
· Kamren Harper (NCCU) finished with 11 kills against USC Upstate.
· Nkemjika Ikemefuna (UMES) registered 39 kills across three matches, including 19 apiece against Marshall and Robert Morris.
· Alexys James (Howard) collected 17 kills, 15 digs, seven aces, and four blocks in two matches.
· Sydney McCree (NSU) totaled 49 assists, 13 digs, six kills, and three blocks over two matches.
· Rya McKinnon (Howard) posted back-to-back double-digit kill efforts with 26 kills against N.C. A&T and 16 kills in a sweep of American.
· Allyson Rouse (NCCU) tallied two blocks and three kills against USC Upstate.
· Valeria Matias (UMES) surpassed 900 career digs with an 18-dig performance against Virginia Tech.
· Manuela Cripa Nasser (NCCU) recorded team-highs of 27 assists and 15 digs against USC Upstate.
· Nkemjika Ikemefuna (UMES) registered 39 kills across three matches, including 19 apiece against Marshall and Robert Morris.
· Camryn Shelton (Howard) averaged 4.25 digs per set, notching 19 against N.C. A&T and 15 against American.