NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Davidson senior Hattie Rodriguez was named Atlantic 10 Conference Volleyball Player of the Week while her sophomore teamate Bella Brady earned the A-10 Defensive Player of the Week. George Mason freshman Olyvia Kennedy was named the league Rookie of the Week.  The awards, the first weekly honors of the 2021 fall season, were for games played Aug. 26 – 29.

Rodriguez hit .276 on the opening weekend of the 2021 fall season, totaling 38 kills and 19 digs in a 2-0 weekend for the 'Cats en route to becoming the Wildcat Classic's Tournament MVP. On Friday night, the outside hitter from Charlotte recorded a double-double (20 kills, 10 digs) for just the third time in her career and added one block and one ace to the scoresheet from the weekend. Thanks to Rodriguez's efforts, the Wildcats have started off the season at 2-0 for the first time since 2017.
 
Brady led the Wildcats' defense all weekend with a team high 15 digs on Friday night during the season opener against UNC Asheville. On Saturday, during a four set win over Western Carolina, Brady recorded a new career-high and game-high, 34 digs. A libero from Winter Park, Fla., Brady was named to the All-Tournament Team for the 2021 Wildcat Classic, while also dishing 14 assists and serving three aces over the weekend.
 
Kennedy averaged 3.64 points, 3.43 kills and 0.43 blocks for George Mason in the first 2-0 season start for the Patriots since 2015. The right side hitter from Columbus, Ohio, put on a show in her Mason debut versus American with a match-high 19 kills at an efficient clip of .436. Mason defeated American in four sets for its first win over the Eagles since 2009. In Mason's sweep of Howard, she tallied five kills and two blocks, leading to Mason's first win over Howard since 2015.