A strong performance in Wisconsin volleyball’s (8-1 overall) nine-set, three-game sweep at this weekend’s InnTowner Invitational brought more than just a team crown for senior middle blocker Mary Ording. The Carmel, Ind., native was named the Big Ten’s defensive player of the week Monday after accumulating 13 blocks over the weekend.
Ording’s tournament-best six blocks against Drake Friday night highlighted her 1.44 blocks per set average for the weekend, which raised her season average to 1.37.
With Ording and junior right side hitter Julie Mikaelsen—the tournament MVP—turning things up for the Badgers, the team looks to be in good shape with less than two weeks to the Big Ten conference opener at Northwestern.
Ording has never before won a Big Ten weekly honor, and no Badger has won the defensive player of the week award since Brittney Dolgner in 2009.