Horizon League Commissioner Jonathan LeCrone announced today that Valparaiso senior Sara Hughes (San Antonio, Texas/Perrysburg [Ohio] H.S.) has been named the female recipient of the U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athlete of the Week award.

Hughes helped guide the Crusaders to a 2-0 record in their first weekend of Horizon League action.  In Valpo’s five-game victory over UIC on Friday night, the senior dished out 56 assists.  Saturday afternoon, Hughes registered her fourth double-double of the season with 41 assists and a season-best 16 digs in Valpo’s sweep of Loyola.  Hughes currently ranks second in the league with 10.94 assists/game and has helped quarterback the Crusader offense to a league-best .258 hitting percentage.  She has reached double digits in assists in 46 of her last 48 matches.

Off the court, Hughes carries a 3.70 grade point average as a dual mathematics and secondary education major.  A two-time member of the Mid-Continent Conference All-Academic Team and Mid-Con Commissioner’s List of Academic Excellence, Hughes has helped the Crusader volleyball team receive the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award in each of the last three seasons.  She has also helped Valpo finish among the top-10 Division I teams in the nation in team GPA each of the last two years.