Grand Valley State freshman Staci Brower helped the #21 Lakers to two road sweeps in Ohio over the weekend and was rewarded on Monday (Sept. 28), as she was named the GLIAC North Division Player of the Week. In 3-0 victories over Malone and Walsh, the middle blocker hit .404 and notched 28 kills to help GVSU improve to 4-0 in conference play.

Brower averaged 4.67 kills, 1.17 blocks, and 5.30 points per set in the Lakers' wins, as Grand Valley State is now 8-4 on the season. In the 3-0 win at Malone, she recorded 18 kills and just three errors in 33 attempts for a .455 hitting percentage. She was just as strong defensively, collecting six total blocks in the victory. Her 18 kills tied a career-high (she also notched 18 kills in a five-set contest against MSU-Moorhead on Sept. 11), while no other player in the match had more than eight kills.

On Saturday at Walsh, Brower tallied 10 kills and hit .316 as GVSU rolled to the 3-0 sweep. In three different sets over the weekend (two versus Malone, one against Walsh), Brower recorded eight kills in a single set. 

The true freshman leads the Lakers in kills (138), hitting percentage (.333), and solo blocks (eight), while ranking second in block assists (32), total blocks (40), and blocks per set (1.03). Brower's early season success also equates to the rest of the conference. She is third in the GLIAC in points (4.30) and kills (3.54) per set, while sitting seventh in the league in kills and hitting percentage. Brower is also ninth in the GLIAC in blocks per set and solo blocks. 

The last GVSU freshman to be named GLIAC Player of the Week was Brower's current teammate Betsy Ronda, as the outside hitter nabbed the award on Nov. 5, 2012. Prior to Ronda's accomplishment, no other Laker freshman had earned the honor since Oct. 13, 1991, when Carrie Baker was voted the league's Player of the Week.

Grand Valley State travels to Big Rapids to take on Ferris State on Tuesday night (Sept. 29) for a 7:00 p.m. contest with its West Michigan rivals. Both teams are 4-0 in conference play.