WEEKLY HONORS:

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Nina Cajic, Towson

Junior | Outside Hitter | Subotica, Serbia / Politehnicka Skola Subotica

Cajic led Towson to its third consecutive CAA regular season title with 3.88 kills per set on a .509 hitting percentage in a weekend sweep over Hofstra. In the decisive match for the regular season crown, Cajic hit .500, tallying a career-high 21 kills with five blocks and three digs to lead Towson to a five-set win over the Pride. On Saturday, Cajic recorded a match-high 10 kills, hitting .529 in a straight-set victory. Cajic has at least 10 kills in 13 matches this season and ranks second in the conference in hitting percentage (.379) on the year.  

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Kayla Martin, Northeastern 

Senior | Libero | Prosper, Texas / Prosper HS 

Martin tallied 4.86 digs per set to anchor a Northeastern defensive effort that helped the Huskies to a 2-0 weekend. In two matches against William & Mary, Northeastern limited the Tribe to a .100 team-hitting percentage as Martin paced the Huskies with 34 digs. The senior libero eclipsed double-figures in both contests, recording 18 digs in a straight-set victory on Saturday, followed by 16 in Sunday’s four-set win. Martin has at least 10 digs in 20 matches this season, including seven of the past eight.  

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Kali Moore, Stony Brook

Freshman | Outside Hitter | Brooklyn, N.Y. / Park Slope Collegiate 

Moore averaged 3.63 kills per set and 3.50 digs per set in a 1-1 week that helped Stony Brook secure the final berth in the CAA Tournament. In the regular season finale, Moore tallied her 10th double-double this season, recording 20 kills on a .364 hitting percentage and 20 digs to lead the Seawolves to a crucial five-set victory over Elon. The performance came after contributing nine kills, eight digs and two service aces in the series opener. The effort on Sunday was Moore’s fifth performance with at least 20 kills this season, while she has posted double-digit kills in 15 matches during her rookie campaign.  

CONFERENCE NOTES:

TIGERS TAKE REGULAR SEASON TITLE

• Towson earned the CAA regular season title outright for the third consecutive year following a weekend sweep over Hofstra. The Tigers trailed Hofstra by one game in the standings entering the final weekend of play before Towson took both head-to-head matchups against the Pride. Towson finished CAA play 15-1 overall, improving to 45-5 in conference play over the past four seasons. 

WHERE CHAMPIONS COME FROM 

• Five teams have captured the CAA Championship since 2012, with Towson winning three straight conference titles. Charleston, Hofstra, UNCW and James Madison are the additional teams that have won during that span. 

• The top three seeds in the conference tournament have won nine of the past 10 CAA Championship titles, with the top seed accounting for six of those victories. The third seed has won the tournament twice, while the second and fourth seeds have each conquered the feat once in the past decade. 

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN 

• Towson is making its ninth straight appearance in the CAA Tournament as the Tigers have won three straight CAA titles. Towson is looking to become the third program in conference history to win the crown four consecutive seasons. 

• Hofstra is the most recent CAA Champion not named Towson, winning the Championship in 2018. The Pride has three CAA titles overall, with two under Emily Mansur. 

• Delaware, seeded third, earned its highest seed in the conference tournament since 2012. The Blue Hens won four CAA Championships in five years from 2007-2011 but will be looking to snap an 11-year championship drought. 

• Charleston has advanced to the CAA Championship match four times in the past 10 seasons, winning its lone title in 2013.

• William & Mary ranks second all-time in league history with seven CAA Championship titles; however, the Tribe is looking to snap a 30-year championship drought. It is the Tribe’s first CAA Tournament since 2015. 

• Elon, Northeastern and Stony Brook are in search of their first CAA Championship title. The Phoenix finished runner-up a season ago, advancing to the championship match for the first time in program history. Northeastern has advanced to the Championship match four times, while Stony Brook has reached the conference tournament in its inaugural CAA season.  

EIGHT IS GREAT 

• For the first time in league history, eight teams will participate in the CAA Volleyball Championship. It will be the largest championship field in conference history. Seven teams participated in the conference tournament from 1995-99, but the field has been six teams since 2011, excluding the spring of 2021. 

SECU AT TOWSON IN NOVEMBER 

• The 2022 CAA Volleyball Championship presented by Primis returns to SECU Arena on the campus of Towson University on November 17-19. It will be the third straight season the conference tournament has been held at Towson, marking the longest streak at one venue in league history. 

TEAM NOTES:

Charleston

• Charleston finished the regular season with back-to-back wins over North Carolina A&T. The Cougars topped the Aggies in five sets on Saturday before a straight-set victory on Sunday.

•Jasmin Goei facilitated the Charleston attack, recording 10.25 assists per set. On Saturday, Goei tallied a career-best 54 assists and 10 digs for her ninth career double-double. The sophomore setter also surpassed 1,000 career assists in the effort. 

• Gabi Bailey tallied 31 kills (3.88 per set) and 24 digs (3.00 per set) over the weekend. Bailey recorded her ninth double-double this fall, matching a personal best with 18 kills and adding 17 digs in the series opener. 

Delaware

• Delaware ended the regular season with a non-conference victory over Chicago State on Wednesday. The Blue Hens beat the Cougars in straight sets, ending the year on a three-match winning streak. 

• Lani Mason paced Delaware with a match-high 13 kills, hitting .300 with seven digs and three blocks. Mason has at least 10 kills in 24 matches this season, including five straight. 

• Ezgi Basaranlar tallied 33 assists in the victory, adding four service aces, four digs and three blocks in the effort. Basaranlar is averaging 10.77 assists per set in her past five matches, with over 30 assists in each one. She has more than 40 assists nine times this fall, including a career-best 65 on Nov. 5.  

Elon 

• Elon split its final series of the regular season, defeating Stony Brook in straight sets on Saturday before falling in five sets on Sunday. 

• Leah Daniel paced Elon with 31 kills, averaging 3.88 per set. She reached double figures in both matches and matched her season-high with 21 kills in the weekend finale. Daniel has at least 10 kills in 21 contests this season, including each of the last eight. 

• Haylie Clark recorded 30-plus assists in both matches, averaging 8.50 assists per set. Clark also added 18 digs (2.25 per set), nine in each contest, nearly missing a pair of double-doubles. She has now recorded double-digit assists in 79 straight matches and has at least 30 digs in 18 contests.

Hampton 

• Hampton finished the season against UNCW, dropping back-to-back contests to the Seahawks. Hampton concludes the year 3-16 overall in its inaugural CAA season. 

• Clara Smith paced the Hampton attack with a team-high 26 kills (3.25 per set). Smith reached double figures in both contests and matched a season-high with 14 kills in the season finale.

• Julieta Campana posted double-doubles in back-to-back matches to end the season. She tallied 16 assists on 10 digs on Saturday, followed by 20 assists and 11 digs on Sunday. It marks her fifth and sixth double-doubles this season. 

Hofstra

• Hofstra dropped its first two conference matches this season, falling to Towson in back-to-back contests to end the regular season. After a straight-set defeat on Saturday, the Pride forced five on Sunday, but were unable to come out ahead. 

• Beatriz Alves totaled 61 assists (7.63 per set) over the weekend and recorded her team-leading 10th double-double this fall. In the weekend finale, Alves recorded 37 assists and 10 digs. 

• Izadora Stedile paced the attack with 26 kills (3.25 per set) against the Tigers. The freshman outside hitter recorded a season-best 21 kills in the season finale, marking her first 20-plus kill performance at the collegiate level. 

North Carolina A&T

• North Carolina A&T dropped its final two regular season matches against Charleston. The Aggies finish the season 9-17 overall, posting a 5-11 record in conference play during their first season in the CAA. 

• Naiya Sawtelle led North Carolina A&T with 44 kills (5.50 per set) and added 23 digs (2.88 per set). Sawtelle posted double-doubles in both matches, recording 28 kills and 13 digs followed by 16 kills and 10 digs. She finishes the year with nine double-doubles this fall. 

• Morgan Allen anchored the backline, tallying a team-high 37 digs (4.62 per set). Allen posted 26 digs on Saturday and 11 on Sunday. She has at least 10 digs in 19 matches this season. 

UNCW 

• UNCW defeated Hampton in consecutive matches to end the season, marking the first time the Seahawks have won back-to-back matches this fall. They conclude the season 6-19 overall with a 4-12 mark in CAA play.

• Katie Lanz paced the UNCW attack, recording 30 kills (3.75 per set). Lanz tallied double-digit kills in both matches with 17 and 13, respectively. She recorded at least 10 kills in 15 matches this season. 

• Annabelle Schall posted double-doubles in the final two matches of the season, totaling 63 assists (7.88 per set) and 28 digs (3.50 per set). She ends the year with 10 double-doubles following the effort over the weekend. 

Northeastern 

• Northeastern defeated William & Mary in its final two contests of the regular season as the Huskies improved to 8-0 at home during CAA play. 

• Erica Staunton led the attack, totaling 26 kills (3.71 per set) with 13 in each match. Staunton has surpassed double-digit kills in 21 contests this season, including three in a row to end the year. 

• Kayla Martin led the Northeastern defensive effort, recording 34 digs (4.86 per set) over the weekend. Martin tallied 18 digs in the series opener and 16 in the season finale. She has at least 10 digs in 20 matches this season.  

Stony Brook

• Stony Brook went 1-1 against Elon over the weekend, clinching the final berth in the conference tournament with a win on the last day of the regular season.  

• Kali Moore had 29 kills (3.63 per set) and 28 digs (3.50 per set) during the weekend series, including a monster double-double in the finale. Moore tallied 20 kills on a .364 hitting percentage with 20 digs for her 10th double-double this season. 

• Abby Campbell added double-digit kills in both matches, totaling 27 (3.38 per set) on a .412 hitting percentage. She had a team-high 10 kills on Saturday, followed by a season-high 17 on Sunday. 

Towson 

• Towson went 2-0 against Hofstra over the weekend to earn its third straight CAA regular season title and the top seed in the conference tournament. 

• Nina Cajic paced the Towson attack with 31 kills (3.88 per set) on a .509-hitting percentage. She recorded double-digit kills in both contests, with a career-high 21 on Sunday after leading the match with 10 on Saturday.

• Victoria Barrett added 20 kills (2.50 per set) for the Tigers, reaching double figures on Sunday with 11. Barrett has at least 10 kills in 15 matches this season, including three of her last four.  

William & Mary

• William & Mary dropped its final two matches of the regular season, falling to Northeastern in three sets on Saturday and four sets on Sunday.

• Anna Porter recorded 25 digs (3.57 per set), reaching double-digit totals in both contests. Porter tallied 15 digs on Sunday after 10 on Saturday. She has at least 10 digs in 22 matches this season, including 18 in a row. 

• Taylor Burrell was the lone hitter for William & Mary to reach double-digit kills in a match. She paced the Tribe with 17 kills (2.42 per set) over the weekend, recording 11 on Sunday. Burrell has reached double-digit kills in four of her past five contests.