The St. Catherine University volleyball team had a huge team performance in a 3-0 win over Hamline on Wednesday and at the UW-Platteville Tournament this past weekend, going 3-1 against four tough opponents. The Wildcats’ big week was thanks largely in part to the strong defensive play of senior libero Nicole Pothen (Faribault, Minn.) who was named the Wildcat Athlete of the Week.
Pothen's huge performance also earned her MIAC Volleyball Setter/Libero-of-the-Week honors.
Pothen had one of her best weeks of the year as she came up with 113 digs in five matches. Her weekend included 93 digs over a two day span. She averaged over 23 digs per match and averaged 6.20 digs per set at the tournament. Her highest total for the weekend came with 25 digs in the team’s only loss of the weekend against UW-Platteville.
Against Hamline, Pothen recorded 20 digs, three assists and one service ace.
In addition to her strong defensive play, she also added two assists and two service aces to a huge Wildcat serving game over the weekend (24 team aces).
Pothen is ranked fourth in the MIAC in digs (424) and fifth in digs per set (5.17). In conference matches, she ranks fourth in both categories with 128 digs and 4.88 digs per set.
Pothen and the Wildcats return to conference play on Wednesday, Oct. 10, as they travel to St. Joseph, Minn., to take on a tough Saint Benedict squad.
