MILWAUKEE, Wis. – The Milwaukee volleyball team earned a crucial weekend sweep and thanks to stellar individual performances, Shari Volpis and Jess Grabowski were named Nike® Horizon League Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week.
 
The award marks the fourth career-honor for Grabowski and the first of Volpis' career. Grabowski has now earned three defensive weekly awards this year (September 16, October 21).
 
Volpis was dominant on the offensive end for the Panthers this weekend, averaging a team-best 3.38 kills per set while hitting .373 in a pair of crucial victories. Volpis totaled 27 kills to help Milwaukee earn the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye for the Horizon League Tournament. After posting nine kills with a .333 attack percentage in a sweep of UIC, Volpis matched a career-high with 18 kills while hitting .395 in a 3-2 win over Green Bay.
 
Grabowski was stellar defensively for Milwaukee, totaling 50 digs in two victories to help Milwaukee earn the first-round bye. The sophomore averaged 6.25 digs per set for the weekend. Following an 18-dig performance in a sweep of UIC, Grabowski tallied 32 digs in a 3-2 win over Green Bay, her third match this year with at least 30 digs. Additionally, Grabowski recorded 55 receptions with just three errors (.945).
 
Milwaukee wrapped the regular season 25-5 overall and 12-4 in the Horizon League and will now head to Dayton, Ohio for the league tournament. As the overall No. 2 seed, the Panthers earned a first-round bye and will face the highest remaining seed on Saturday, November 23 at 5:00 pm CT. For more information on the Horizon League Tournament, visit Championship Central. All matches of the tournament will be broadcast on ESPN+ with links available on MKEPanthers.com.