Volleyball | 10/5/2026 3:30:07 PM

NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State senior Gabrielle Gilbert, Coppin State duo Eva Rovello and Coco Figueroa, and Howard freshman Addison Buckner headlined the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) weekly volleyball honors, the league office announced Monday.   

Player of the Week: Gabrielle Gilbert | Norfolk State| Sr. | OH | Indianapolis, IN 
Gilbert delivered dominant offensive performances across three matches, totaling 54 kills (4.91 kills per set) with a .339 hitting percentage. She averaged 5.73 points per set and added 33 digs, 6 aces, and 4 blocks. Her individual productivity and efficiency were instrumental in Norfolk State's 2-1 record for the week.

Rookie of the Week: Addison Buckner | Howard | Fr. | OH | Menomonee Falls, WI
Buckner played a pivotal role in Howard's undefeated week, advancing the team to a 3-1 record in MEAC play. She recorded her second double-double of the season against UMES with 19 kills and 14 digs, after posting 9 kills and 8 digs in a sweep of Delaware State.

Setter of the Week: Eva Rovello | Coppin State | Jr. | S | Vigneux de Bretagne, France
Rovello guided Coppin State, currently leading the MEAC standings at 4-0, to a .304 team hitting percentage during a 3-0 week. She averaged 10.08 assists per set, highlighted by a 45-assist, 17-dig double-double against Loyola Maryland and 43 assists against NC Central.

Defensive Player of the Week: Coco Figueroa | Coppin State | Sr. | L | Bayamon, Puerto Rico 
 Figueroa anchored Coppin State during an undefeated 3-0 week, extending the team's national 12-match winning streak. She averaged 4.67 digs per set, including a match-high 26 digs against NC Central, and surpassed the 1,500-dig career milestone, establishing herself among the top defenders in the MEAC and Division I. 

Other Top Performers 

Norfolk State’s Jasmine Mataira directed the team's offense with 103 assists across three matches, averaging 9.36 assists per set and contributing to two victories. She recorded a week-high 46 assists in the win over Maryland Eastern Shore (11.50 assists per set) and 40 assists in the Battle of the Bay victory over Hampton (10.00 assists per set). Mataira also contributed 19 digs, five service aces, and seven kills during the week, finishing the three-match stretch with 86 assists in Norfolk State’s two victories over Hampton and UMES.

Coppin State’s Cherisse Atilano recorded 17 kills on .286 hitting, along with 9 digs and 2 aces in the win over Loyola Maryland. She added 8 kills with 5 digs (.263) and an ace in the sweep at SC State, despite limited playing time. Atilano also posted a team-high 16 kills (.250), one dig, and an ace in the win at NC Central.

About the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) enters its 56th year of intercollegiate competition with the 2026–27 academic year. Headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, the MEAC is comprised of eight distinguished Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) along the Atlantic seaboard: Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University, and South Carolina State University. Since its founding in 1970, the MEAC has been dedicated to promoting academic excellence, sportsmanship, and the personal growth of student athletes. For more information, visit www.MEACSports.com.