PORTLAND, Ore. – Powering the Northwest Nazarene volleyball team to a 4-0 start to the 2026 campaign in Seaside, Calif., last week, senior outside hitter
Abby Black put forth a dominant offensive display to headline the latest list of Great Northwest Athletic Conference Players of the Week announced on Monday.
VOLLEYBALL OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Abby Black – Northwest Nazarene University
First-career player of the week.
Black was unstoppable on the attack at the CSU Monterey Bay Otter Invitational, smashing down 82 kills in her team’s four victories. Her average of 4.56 kills per set was the highest of any GNAC player who competed last week. Black’s all-tournament performance was highlighted by the most dominant match of her career, as she unleashed 31 kills against just one error for a .652 attack percentage in NNU’s four-set win over Dominican. That tied her for the third-most kills in a four-set match in GNAC history, and it was the most kills by a GNAC player in a four-set match since UAA’s Eve Stephens set the record of 33 on Oct. 22, 2022. She shattered her previous personal single-match best of 23 kills, which she achieved on two previous occasions. A first-team all-GNAC pick in 2025, Black reached double digits in kills in all four matches, including a 21-kill performance in a season-opening win over Sioux Falls. She added in eight service aces including a career-best four in the Dominican win. Not only was Black dominant offensively, but she completed three double-doubles as she notched a dozen digs in three of the four matches. Now in her fourth season with the Nighthawks, the preseason all-conference selection upped her career count to 751 kills while boosting her four-year average to 2.99 kills per set.
NNU Head Coach Doug English: “Abby played out of her mind last weekend. She had a great offseason and got herself ready to go physically to be able to play four matches in a weekend, and it showed in her play. Time after time she came through offensively when we needed it. Her performance against Dominican was one of the best I have seen from an outside hitter.”
Also Nominated: Bella Burney, Alaska Anchorage; Cynphany Henderson, Alaska; Corinne Westby, Central Washington; Allie Dorman, Montana State Billings; Emily Garten, Saint Martin’s; Joslyn Greff, Seattle Pacific; Brooklyn Robinson, Simon Fraser; Payton Davis, Western Oregon; Delaney Speer, Western Washington.
VOLLEYBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Emily Vossenkuhl – Western Washington University
Third-career player of the week, first this season.
Vossenkuhl also had a career performance on the opening weekend of the 2026 season, helping lead the Vikings to a pair of victories. On Friday against Chaminade, she recorded the second-most total blocks in GNAC single-match history with 15. She became the second player in conference history to achieve that plateau, with Simon Fraser’s
Logan Remington breaking the GNAC record with 18 blocks last season. Vossenkuhl followed the career-best effort with seven more blocks and 10 kills in Saturday’s win over San Francisco State. Overall her 2.00 blocks per set and 24 total blocks were the most of any GNAC player in last week’s matches. Among the best blockers in GNAC history, Vossenkuhl ranks 15th all-time in the GNAC with 1.17 blocks per set and she upped her career total to 331 blocks with last week’s effort.
WWU Head Coach Diane Flick-Williams: “Voss was huge for us at the net. Beyond the stuffs that she got, she touched a lot of balls to slow them down for our defense. Her motor and net coverage in long rallies is unreal as she puts just as much pressure on hitters in the fourth or fifth swing of a rally as she does on the first. I am really proud of her and this honor is very well deserved.”
Also Nominated: Hannah Trotter, Alaska Anchorage; Tessa Onaga, Alaska; Kailey Willsey, Central Washington; Laina Whitney, Montana State Billings; Hailey Cheney, Northwest Nazarene; Tiffany Lam, Saint Martin’s; Christina Lopez, Seattle Pacific; Logan Remington, Simon Fraser.
MEN’S SOCCER OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Archie Dhima – Western Oregon University
First-career player of the week.
After redshirting in 2025, Dhima announced his presence in grand fashion in his official collegiate regular-season debut last week. In the Wolves’ 3-2 win over MSU Denver on Thursday, Dhima delivered a brace and an assist for five total points. With the Wolves trailing 2-0 midway through the second half, Dhima kick-started the rally by scoring his first collegiate goal in the 71st minute. He followed with a penalty-kick conversion to tie the score in the 78th minute, before slotting an assist to
Ignacio Brandan in the 82nd minute for what proved to be the game-winning goal. The Mill Creek, Wash., native wasn’t finished there, as he tucked away his third goal of the week in the 57th minute of Saturday’s 3-3 draw against Westminster. Dhima’s seven total points and three goals scored were the most by any GNAC player last week.
WOU Head Coach Andrew May: “The team needed a spark in both games to come from behind. Archie came on and provided that spark in our opening games on the road. He was relentless in the attack and took his opportunities in front of goal, which helped the team get the results. There is much more to come from the young attacker.”
Also Nominated: Caleb Putney, Northwest Nazarene; Jonathan Wright; Saint Martin’s; Judah Straight, Seattle Pacific; Lunden Fenster, Western Washington.
MEN’S SOCCER DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Connor Leistiko – Saint Martin’s University
Second-career player of the week, first this season.
Last year’s GNAC leader in saves came through with flying colors in the Saints’ first two games of the season, as Leistiko delivered a pair of shutouts to help the team to its best start since joining the conference in 2007. After making a pair of stops in SMU’s 5-0 trouncing of Walla Walla on Thursday, Leistiko was tested heavily against Westmont on Saturday. Facing 16 total shots, Leistiko made all five saves required in order to secure the shutout. SMU needed every one of his stops in the narrow, 1-0 triumph. In his fourth season with the Saints, Leistiko ranks 21st in GNAC history with 176-career saves to his name.
SMU Head Coach Rob Walker: “He is making saves, providing good distribution and leadership, and anytime you see that from your goalkeeper that’s what it’s all about. Right now he is our lone captain on the field, and he is really embracing that leadership piece for our team. You can’t ask for much more than that.”
Also Nominated: Kasey Toevs, Seattle Pacific; Sam Hough, Western Washington.
WOMEN’S SOCCER OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Audrey Holdridge – Western Washington University
First-career player of the week.
Holdridge was responsible for all the offense in the Vikings’ season-opening 2-0 win over Hawaii Hilo on Thursday at home. Holdridge placed all three shots she took on frame and scored on two of them, as she was the key difference maker in the match. Spotting her team a 1-0 lead just before halftime, Holdridge touched home a high shot after a deflection in the 39th minute to start her season strong. She then bolstered the advantage with 10 minutes left to play, embarking on a long run with the ball, beating multiple defenders and smashing home a definitive strike to the back post. Now in her third season on the pitch at WWU, Holdridge upped her career total to four goals and nine points with last week’s multi-goal effort.
WWU Head Coach Travis Connell: “Audrey had a great weekend. She is playing with a lot of confidence right now. She looks goal-dangerous every time she gets the ball in the attacking half.”
Also Nominated: Alexa Stanfield, Central Washington; Kennedy Craig, Montana State Billings; Peyton Bowser, Saint Martin’s; Ashlyn Valdovinos, Seattle Pacific; Kiera Scott, Simon Fraser; Kyra DiBenedetto, Western Oregon.
WOMEN’S SOCCER DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sofia Piperni – Simon Fraser University
First-career player of the week.
Making her collegiate debut on Saturday, the redshirt freshman was a sturdy presence in goal to help the Red Leafs win their season-opener 3-1 over Hawaii Hilo. Piperni faced a barrage of 14 shots in the match, coming away with five saves in her first regular-season match to secure the win.
SFU Head Coach Carlo Basso: “Sofia provided such a mature performance in her first official collegiate match. She has worked extremely hard to be prepared for the moment and she was excellent both in and out of possession. I am excited to see her continued growth as the season carries on.”
Also Nominated: Danika Galbraith, Central Washington; Kelsie Cox, Montana State Billings; Landry Schoennauer, Seattle Pacific; Ayanah Soon, Western Oregon; Olivia Connell, Western Washington.