BRISTOL, R.I.- The TCCC has awarded three RWU women’s volleyball players with awards this week. Rebekah Dion (Old Saybrook, Conn.), Emily Lebowitz (Coventry, Conn.), and Jill Hurd (Sunapee, N.H.) have all received TCCC awards from their impressive play in last week’s playoff matches.
Junior middle hitter Rebekah Dion (Old Saybrook, Conn.) was named TCCC Player of the Week. Dion racked up 11 kills and added three blocks and two digs in the TCCC Championship game against Western New England College. Dion’s efforts pushed the Hawks to a 3-1 victory over the Golden Bears, as they secured their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance. In previous matches that week, Dion posted nine kills, four blocks, four digs, and a .615 attack percentage against top-seeded Endicott as the Hawks upset the Gulls with a 3-0 victory in the TCCC Semifinals. Dion added 11 kills, four digs, and three blocks in a 3-0 sweep against first-round opponent University of New England. Collectively over these three matches, Dion averaged 3.10 kills, 1.0 blocks, and 1.0 digs, while hitting an impressive .353.
Freshman setter Emily Lebowitz (Coventry, Conn.) was named TCCC Rookie of the Week. Lebowitz averaged 10.6 assists per game to aid in the Hawks first ever TCCC Championship title. In all three playoff matches, Lebowitz topped 30 assists, picking up 38 in the 3-0 sweep over University of New England in quarterfinal play. She also racked up 32 assists against Endicott and 36 in the win against Western New England College.
Junior libero Jill Hurd (Sunapee, N.H.) was named TCCC Libero of the Week. Hurd posted a program-record 41 digs in RWU’s victory of Western New England College in Saturday’s TCCC Championship match. She posted eight digs in a 3-0 victory over UNE in the quarterfinals. Hurd also racked up 14 digs in the 3-0 sweep of Endicott in the TCCC semifinals. Over the entire TCCC Tournament, Hurd averaged 6.3 digs per game.
The Hawks return to action on Thursday in their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance against New Paltz at NYU.