Junior middle hitter Lauren Matthews was named the Sports Imports/AVCA National Player of the Week on Wednesday, Feb. 24. 

Matthews is the third Hilltopper in program history to be awarded with this accolade. 

The two Lady Toppers who had previously been named Sports Imports/AVCA National Player of the Week were Jordyn Skinner, named on Sept. 13, 2011 and Amanda Schiff, named Nov. 10, 2003.

Throughout Sunday and Monday’s matches, Matthews had an average of 19.5 kills, 6.5 kills per set, 7.42 points per set and held onto a .630 hitting percentage. On Monday, she had hit the most kills a player has gotten so far this season within a three-set match. 

“I truly believe she is one of the best players in all of college volleyball and she has shown it consistently throughout her career,” Hudson said in a release. “People see what a terrific athlete she is but it is her tremendous competitiveness that has helped her elevate into one of the best players in the country.”

According to Jessica Leifheit, Associate Director of Communications and Media Relations, Matthews’ Monday hitting percentage, .828 percent, is the second-best percentage of hitters with at least 20 attempts in all of NCAA Volleyball during this season.

This is Matthews’ second award earned this week. Yesterday she was awarded C-USA Offensive Player of the Week honors alongside senior setter Nadia Dieudonne.

The Lady Toppers swept Charlotte 3-0 in both of this week’s matches.

WKU (9-0) (4-0, C-USA) is currently seeing its best-ever undefeated start of the season in all of program history.

Volleyball beat reporter Cassady Lamb can be reached [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @lambp0p.