ASSOCIATION OF DIVISION III INDEPENDENTS

WEEKLY PLAYER AWARDS
Monday, October 11, 2004

WOMEN'S SOCCER PLAYER OF THE WEEK

AMBER OLSON
California State U.-East Bay
Forward | Richland , WA /Kamiakin HS

Amber Olson of Cal State-East Bay is the Association of Division III Independents Women's Soccer Player of the Week after scoring the go-ahead goal with 20 minutes remaining in regulation, as the Pioneers (4-4-4) upset #17 ranked Chapman University, 3-1, on October 10. She is the second East Bay player to earn Player of the Week honors this season.

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL CO-PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

LIZZELLE CINTRON
New Jersey City University
Freshman | Middle Blocker | Newark , NJ / Elizabeth HS

After smoking a Division III national season high 40 kills in a spectacular come-from-behind win against SUNY-New Paltz and continuing to post almost unfathomable offensive numbers, Lizzelle Cintron of New Jersey City University is the Association of Division III Independents Women's Volleyball Player of the Week for the third time this season and the second week in a row, this time sharing the distinction with Nebraska Wesleyan's Sarah Ahrens. NJCU is 14-5 overall and winners of four straight.

In another terrific week for Cintron , the NCAA Division III leader in kills per game, she averaged 6.86 kills, 8.50 points, 5.21 digs, and 1.36 blocks per game while hitting .464 as the Gothic Knights went 4-0 on the week including two impressive wins. NJCU defeated SUNY-New Paltz, one of the top teams in New York State , and the City College of New York, before sweeping Rutgers-Camden and Farmingdale State . She totaled 20 or more kills three times, including the national high of 40, and accumulated 96 kills, 63 digs, 19 blocks and 119 points. Her averages for the week in the 13 games she played at middle blocker were 7.38 kills, 9.15 points, and 1.46 blocks. Her one game at libero decreased her final totals.

In one of the greatest come-from-behind victories in school history, NJCU rebounded from a 0-2 deficit on October 5 to stun SUNY-New Paltz, 3-2. The highly touted Hawks could not find a way to defend Cintron , as she lit them up for the 40 kills, the second highest single-match total for kills in school history, and provided 30 digs and nine blocks (eight solo). She accounted for 49 points in the match with her fourth 30-30 match of the season. She also hit .360 in the contest (40-13-75). It was her fourth match of at least 32 kills this season.

Cintron handcuffed CCNY for 24 kills ( 24-2-43 ) and a .512 hitting percentage, while defending 23 digs and rejecting four solo blocks. She wrapped up the week by overpowering Farmingdale State with 22 kills ( 22-3-30 ), a .633 percentage, eight digs, and three blocks. Cintron has amassed 6.33 kills per game this season and already has 424 kills in 19 matches. She had 479 kills in 2003 when she was the New Jersey High School Player of the Year.

SARAH AHRENS
Nebraska Wesleyan University
Senior | Outside Hitter | Oakland, NE/Oakland-Craig HS

Sarah Ahrens of Nebraska Wesleyan University has been named the Association of Division III Independents co-Women's Volleyball Player of the Week for the 14-5 Prairie Wolves, after leading NWU, winners of 10 straight, to a 5-0 record last week and the championship of the Colorado College Classic. Ahrens averaged 5.31 kills, 1.63 digs, 1.00 aces and 0.63 blocks per game, while hitting .222.

Overall she tallied 85 kills, 26 digs, 16 aces, and 10 blocks in 16 games over five matches. She had at least 13 kills in every match and three or more aces in four of the matches. An All-Tournament team selection, she landed 19 kills with eight digs and three aces in a 3-1 win over host and D3 Independents foe Colorado College in the tournament final on October 9. In the opening game of the tournament on October 8, she hit .315 and had 15 kills, five digs, three aces, and three blocks in a sweep of D3 Independents-member Chapman University. She compiled 17 kills, nine digs, five aces and two blocks in a 3-0 win over Luther , and chalked up 13 kills, four aces and two blocks in a sweep of Washington & Jefferson.

Her high game of the week came in non-tournament action on October 5, when she hammered 21 kills and hit .302 against Midland Lutheran. The Prairie Wolves have won 30 of its last 33 games during its 10-match wining streak.

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