Rochester, MN-

The Minnesota College Athletic Conference (MCAC) has released its volleyball athlete of the week awards for the week of September 9-15. 

Century College's middle blocker Alexis Helmin earned the South Division Offensive Athlete of the Week award after terminating 19 balls on 30 swings and tallying only one error, good enough for a .600 hitting percentage on the week. Helmin ranks fourth in the MCAC in hitting percentage with a .424 average, and she has led the Wood Ducks to a 9-1 overall record. Gracie Wenger, an outside hitter for Century College, picked up 26 digs and a block in her six sets to earn the South Division Defensive Athlete of the Week honor.  Wenger played all six rotations, serving two aces and adding 19 kills to her stats to help her team get straight-set wins over Rochester and Anoka-Ramsey. 

Aspen Gentele, a right-side hitter for Alexandria Technical and Community College, hit .370 on the week with 27 kills on 54 swings to earn the MCAC North Division Offensive Athlete of the Week honor. Gentele averaged 3.85 kills per set this week and served an ace to lead her Legends to two more wins. Maddie Lochner, libero for Central Lakes College, put together an exceptional defensive performance throughout the week to be named the MCAC North Division Defensive Athlete of the Week. Lochner dug 131 balls in 19 sets, averaging 6.89 digs per set, while also serving three aces. Lochner leads the MCAC in digs with 287 on the season, averaging 5.74 digs per set.

As MCAC teams compile games and statistics, keep tabs on Conference leaders at the following links:

MCAC Statistical Leaders:  https://mcacsports.org/sports/wvball/2024-25/leaders

MCAC Standings: https://mcacsports.org/sports/wvball/2024-25/standings

	MCAC Volleyball South Division Athletes of the Week
Alexis Helmin Century College SO / Middle Blocker Foley, MN	Offensive Athlete of the Week Sets Played:  6 Kills:  19 Hitting Errors:  1 Total Hitting Attempts:  30 Assists:  0 Service Aces:  3 Service Errors:  1 Noteworthy Information:  Lexi hit .600 on the week and also had 8 digs while in her serving rotation. Next Contest: September 18 at Minnesota State Community and Technical College Team Record: 9-1 overall, 2-0 in the MCAC South Division
Gracie Wenger Century College SO / OH Montgomery, MN	Defensive Athlete of the Week Sets Played:  6 Digs:  26 Service Aces:  2 Solo Blocks:  0 Assisted Blocks:  1 Service Errors: 0 Noteworthy Information:  Gracie averaged 4.33 digs/set and had 19 kills with a hitting percentage of .294. Next Contest: September 18 at Minnesota State Community and Technical College Team Record: 9-1 overall, 2-0 in the MCAC South Division

	MCAC Volleyball North Division Athletes of the Week
Aspen Gentele Alexandria Technical and Community College FR / Right-Side Hitter Alexandria, MN	Offensive Athlete of the Week Sets Played:  7 Kills:  27 Hitting Errors: 7 Total Hitting Attempts:  54 Assists:  1 Service Aces:  1 Service Errors:  3 Noteworthy Information:  Aspen averaged 3.85 kills per set and hit .370 on the week.  Next Contest: September 18 vs. Central Lakes College Team Record: 8-2 overall, 6-0 in the MCAC North Division
Maddie Lochner Central Lakes College FR / Libero Pierz, MN	Defensive Athlete of the Week Sets Played:  19 Digs:  131 Service Aces:  3 Solo Blocks:  0 Assisted Blocks:  0 Service Errors:  6 Noteworthy Information: Maddie averaged 6.89 digs/set, and she had 11 assists and two kills. Next Contest:  September 18 at Alexandria Technical and Community College Team Record:  9-5 overall, 4-1 in the MCAC North Division

About the Minnesota College Athletic Conference

The Minnesota College Athletic Conference is the organizational body for NJCAA-affiliated two-year technical and community college athletic programs in the Minnesota State system.  The mission of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference is to advance intercollegiate athletics by providing an engaging and supportive environment for success of our student athletes and competition among member institutions.  The MCAC is committed to the guiding principles of encouraging the development and success of student athletes, promoting the integrity, honesty and loyalty to member schools as well as upholding the sustainability of conference athletic programs.