Vernon, Heisser Named C-USA Players-of-the-Week

Marquette seniors honored

MILWAUKEE ? Senior setter Sarah Vernon was named Conference USA Setter-of-the-Week and senior middle blocker Erica Heisser was named C-USA Player-of-the-Week, the league office announced. It is Vernon?s fourth selection as Setter-of-the-Week by the Conference USA office and it is Heisser?s first. It is the fifth and sixth times that a Marquette player has been selected C-USA Player-of-the-Week.

Heisser led all Marquette attackers with 39 kills (4.88 kills per game) in Marquette?s 3-1 wins over Charlotte and East Carolina on Friday and Saturday, respectively. The middle blocker hit a team-best 40.0 percent for the week. Heisser also set a career mark for kills with 21 against the Pirates and hit 42.1 percent, which marked the fifth time this season she hit over 40 percent. Heisser scored 10 more points than any other Marquette player over the two matches with 43.5 points.

Vernon had 114 assists for two matches against Charlotte and East Carolina, averaging 14.25 assists per game. She recorded a double-double against Charlotte, her 11th of the season, with 51 assists and 13 kills against the 49ers. She was one kill and one dig away from a triple-double against ECU, with nine kills, nine digs and assisting on 63 attacks. She had 2.75 kills per game and hit .388 for the week, the second-best total for Marquette players behind Heisser. She also had five blocks in the two contests.

"It is a tremendous tribute to the team and to the senior's who have helped put us in a position to be tied for second, get a top seed into the conference tournament and finish the season with 20 wins," head coach Pati Rolf said. "This is an honor for Erica and Sarah, and also Erin Freer our Libero whose tremendous floor defense puts the ball in play so all this can happen. All three of them represent everything that is good about Marquette and that hard work and sacrifice pay off."

It is the fourth time this season that teammates have shared Conference USA Player- and Setter-of-the-Week awards.

Marquette returns to action on Friday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. EST against Charlotte in Charlotte, N.C.
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