Athletics - Franklin Pierce University

Parnell earns Northeast-10 Player of the Week Award
Koike named Freshman of the Week for the second time in three weeks

Sophomore Caitlynn Parnell earned her first career Northeast-10 Player of the Week award after averaging 4.80 kills/gm in a 3-0 week.

RINDGE, N.H. (September 10, 2007) – Two members of the Franklin Pierce University volleyball team earned awards from the Northeast-10 Conference this week, it was announced in Monday afternoon. Sophomore outside hitter Caitlynn Parnell (Medina, Texas/Medina) was named the NE-10 Player of the Week, while redshirt freshman Michelle Koike (San Francisco, Calif./Gonzaga University) earned Freshman of the Week honors.

Parnell earns her first career NE-10 Player of the Week award after averaging 4.80 kills per game on a .380 hitting percentage and 2.60 digs per game while adding six blocks and three service aces as the Ravens swept three matches last week. The sophomore twice tied her career-high with 19 kills on a combined .470 hitting percentage in wins against Stonehill and Concordia, adding eight digs against Stonehill and seven digs and four blocks against Concordia. In the team’s last match of the week Saturday against Saint Anselm, Parnell posted her first double-double of the season with 11 digs and 10 kills.

Through 10 matches, Parnell leads Franklin Pierce with 90 kills (2.81/game) and has also contributed 1.59 digs and 0.34 blocks per game.

Freshman Michelle Koike earned her second Northeast-10 Rookie of the Week award in the first three weeks of the 207 season.

Koike is named the NE-10 Freshman of the Week for the second time in three weeks after averaging 3.00 kills, 1.30 digs and 1.10 blocks per game and recording eight service aces and hitting .429 in three Raven victories last week. The Gonzaga University transfer began the week with nine kills, three aces and a season-high .538 hitting percentage on Wednesday against Stonehill, and then tied her season-high with 13 kills while adding four digs and a season-best five blocks against Concordia on Friday night.

Koike ranks third on the Ravens in kills with 79 (2.47/game), second in blocks (26 in 32 games) and first in service aces (13 in 32 games).

Franklin Pierce (4-6, 1-0 NE-10) returns to conference action on Tuesday with a showdown against Northeast-10 preseason favorite Bentley College at the Fieldhouse beginning at 7 p.m.