It has been quite the start to the collegiate career of Valpo freshman libero Emma Hickey (Granger, Ind./Penn), and after posting her most productive weekend of the season to date last weekend in a pair of Beacon victories, she was recognized on Monday as the MVC Defensive Player of the Week.

Hickey opened the weekend with a 21-dig performance to lead all players in Valpo’s sweep of Murray State — the second-most digs in a three-set match by an MVC player this season, trailing only her own 23-dig effort at UTSA. She then exploded for 37 digs on Saturday in the Beacons’ five-set win over Belmont, fifth-most in a five-set match in program history in the 25-point era and tied for the most by any MVC player in a single match this season.

For the weekend, Hickey averaged 7.25 digs/set — her highest average for a single week this year. With the freshman leading the way, Valpo limited the Racers and Bruins to 10.25 kills/set on .089 hitting in the pair of victories.

On the year, Hickey ranks second nationally among all D-I players in total digs (416) and eighth in digs/set (5.47), leading all freshmen in both categories — in fact, there’s no other freshmen among the top-30 in digs/set. Monday’s award was Hickey’s third weekly honor from the MVC office this year, as she has been named Defensive Player of the Week twice and Freshman of the Week once.