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Women's Volleyball NWC Athletic Communications

Granstra Lands NAIA Defender of the Week Accolades

First Raider this season to earn national weekly honor

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Sophomore libero Olivia Granstra becomes the first Red Raider to earn National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Player of the Week honors this season for her performance on the court this past week against two top-25 opponents, the national office announced this morning.

"Olivia has been getting better by the week all season long in our libero position," said head coach Kyle Van Den Bosch. "Last week she received service so well and keeping multiple types of attacks alive for our team."
   
The No. 6-ranked Northwestern College volleyball team (20-6, 10-5 GPAC) kept their dreams alive with two massive straight-set victories last week over No. 9 Dakota Wesleyan at home and on the road over rival and No. 22-ranked Dordt Saturday evening.
 
On the week, Granstra (So., Sheldon, Iowa) notched 41 digs, averaging 6.8 digs per set. She led the team in digs in both matches and was a huge reason why the Red Raiders were able to hold the Tigers to an .094 hitting percentage, and Dordt to just .082.
 
volleyball-granstra-naia-dpow-naia-graphic-2022

 
Against No. 9-ranked DWU, she put up a stellar 24 digs in three sets (6.0 digs/set) while also recording two service aces. In the Dordt match, she notched 17 more digs to lead the match and also recorded two back row assists.
 
So far in 2022, the Sheldon, Iowa native leads the team in digs with 459, eclipsing 5.0 per set (5.16). She has also recorded 23 service aces, which is third-best on the team.

The announcement comes following the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) announced the Sheldon, Iowa native as the league's Defensive Player of the Week earlier today. 
Granstra becomes the second Raider to earn National Defensive Player of the Week honors since the award was first given in 2015. Bekah Horstman (Sr., Pella, Iowa) was recognized for her defensive efforts on September 7, 2021, making it two-straight years that Northwestern has seen a student-athlete receive the award.

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