Ball State University Athletics
Mitchem & Wielonski Earn More MAC Honors
November 01, 2021 | Women's Volleyball
CLEVELAND, Ohio - - After helping guide the Ball State women's volleyball team to a pair of sweeps and the top spot in the Mid-American Conference standings, junior opposite Natalie Mitchem and freshman setter Megan Wielonski were honored by the league Monday.
Mitchem was named the MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week for the second straight week, while Wielonski was named the MAC West Division Setter of the Week for the third consecutive week.
Combined the pair helped lead Ball State to a crucial Friday sweep of then-MAC leader Bowling Green, as well as a Saturday sweep of Miami. With the wins, the Cardinals hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Falcons for the MAC Regular Season title and hosting rights for the upcoming MAC Women's Volleyball Championship.
The wins also helped Ball State improve its current winning streak to 12 matches, as well as become one of just three NCAA Division I programs to reach 22 wins this season at 22-3.
Mitchem was unstoppable from the right side, hitting an impressive .605 (23-0-38) over the two matches. She led the Ball State offense with 23 total kills on the week, including eight in the three-set sweep of BGSU. She hit .471 (8-0-17) against the Falcons, while adding three blocks and a pair of digs.
In Saturday's sweep of the RedHawks, Mitchem was even more impressive with a match-high 15 kills and an even more astonishing .714 (15-0-21) attack percentage. She also collected three digs in the win. Based on the strength of her weekend, Mitchem has climbed to fifth in the MAC with a .335 attack percentage on the year.
Wielonski had the Ball State offense firing on all cylinders, as the Cardinals hit .365 as a team on its way to taking over the top spot in the MAC standings. It started with a dominating performance against Bowling Green, as the Cardinals hit .328 as a team against the league's best defense entering the match. Wielonski handed out 39 total assists in the win, while adding 10 digs, four kills, two blocks and a service ace to give the Falcons their first league loss of the season and snap BGSU's 12-match winning streak.
Saturday's performance against Miami was even better, as the Cardinals snapped a three-match RedHawks winning streak by hitting .412 as a team. Wielonski dished out 37 assists in the win, while adding seven digs, three kills, three blocks and a pair of aces. In addition to ranking fifth in the nation with 968 total assists, Wielonski is 10th nationally with 42 service aces.
Up next for Mitchem, Wielonski, and the rest of the Ball State women's volleyball team is a two-match set versus Central Michigan which begins Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in Worthen Arena. BSU closes the home portion of the 2021 regular season versus the Chippewas Friday with senior night and another 6:30 p.m. first serve.
Mitchem was named the MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week for the second straight week, while Wielonski was named the MAC West Division Setter of the Week for the third consecutive week.
Combined the pair helped lead Ball State to a crucial Friday sweep of then-MAC leader Bowling Green, as well as a Saturday sweep of Miami. With the wins, the Cardinals hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Falcons for the MAC Regular Season title and hosting rights for the upcoming MAC Women's Volleyball Championship.
The wins also helped Ball State improve its current winning streak to 12 matches, as well as become one of just three NCAA Division I programs to reach 22 wins this season at 22-3.
Mitchem was unstoppable from the right side, hitting an impressive .605 (23-0-38) over the two matches. She led the Ball State offense with 23 total kills on the week, including eight in the three-set sweep of BGSU. She hit .471 (8-0-17) against the Falcons, while adding three blocks and a pair of digs.
In Saturday's sweep of the RedHawks, Mitchem was even more impressive with a match-high 15 kills and an even more astonishing .714 (15-0-21) attack percentage. She also collected three digs in the win. Based on the strength of her weekend, Mitchem has climbed to fifth in the MAC with a .335 attack percentage on the year.
Wielonski had the Ball State offense firing on all cylinders, as the Cardinals hit .365 as a team on its way to taking over the top spot in the MAC standings. It started with a dominating performance against Bowling Green, as the Cardinals hit .328 as a team against the league's best defense entering the match. Wielonski handed out 39 total assists in the win, while adding 10 digs, four kills, two blocks and a service ace to give the Falcons their first league loss of the season and snap BGSU's 12-match winning streak.
Saturday's performance against Miami was even better, as the Cardinals snapped a three-match RedHawks winning streak by hitting .412 as a team. Wielonski dished out 37 assists in the win, while adding seven digs, three kills, three blocks and a pair of aces. In addition to ranking fifth in the nation with 968 total assists, Wielonski is 10th nationally with 42 service aces.
Up next for Mitchem, Wielonski, and the rest of the Ball State women's volleyball team is a two-match set versus Central Michigan which begins Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in Worthen Arena. BSU closes the home portion of the 2021 regular season versus the Chippewas Friday with senior night and another 6:30 p.m. first serve.
Players Mentioned
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