Illinois State’s Pence named MVC Defensive Player of the Week

Posted on August 29, 2017

By ISU Sports Information

WACO, Texas – Illinois State’s Courtney Pence was recognized as the Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week in the league’s first weekly awards announcement of the season Monday.

The honor comes one day after Pence was named Best Defender at the Hampton Inn & Suites Waco North Baylor Invitational.

Pence tallied 85 digs over Illinois State’s three matches at the Baylor Invitational, averaging 7.73 digs per set. She also chipped in 12 assists and one kill over 11 sets. Her best performance came in ’Illinois States five-set thriller against No. 15 Florida State, as she registered 41 digs, the third-highest single-match total in Illinois State history and tied for the eighth most in Missouri Valley Conference history.

The MVC Player of the Week was Northern Iowa’s Piper Thomas, while the league’s Freshman of the Week honor went to Drake’s Emily Plock.

Illinois State (1-2) returns to action next weekend at the Marcia E. Hamilton Classic, hosted by Saint Louis.

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