EDISON, N.J. – After running the Fairfield University Volleyball attack to a pair of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) victories this past weekend, Manuela Nicolini has been selected as the MAAC Player of the Week. The sophomore setter distributed 11.86 assists per frame in home victories over Rider and Saint Peter's last week as the Stags extended their winning streak to five consecutive matches.
 
"Manuela has made marked improvements every week, and I'm glad that her efforts have paid off with this acknowledgement," said Head Coach Todd Kress. "She's making good decisions to run our offense with a more balanced approach and is starting to become a vocal leader in the practice gym as well."
 
Nicolini began the weekend with an all-around performance in the Stags' 3-1 win over Rider. In addition to her 45 assists, she dumped over six kills of her own on .385 hitting (6-1-13) and was a force defensively with 11 digs and seven blocks. The double-double was her sixth of the fall. In Sunday's sweep of Saint Peter's, Nicolini was solid again with 38 assists, two kills (2-1-3, .333), six digs and one block.
 
On the season, Nicolini leads the MAAC with 9.69 assists per set. She has also notched 32 kills on .287 hitting from the setter spot and contributes on the defensive end with 2.34 digs per frame and a team-high 43 blocks.
 
Nicolini is the first Fairfield setter to earn MAAC Player of the Week laurels since Rachel Romansky '14 garnered the honor in October of 2012 en route to her second of three consecutive MAAC Setter of the Year awards.
 
The Stags are back on the road next weekend for the annual Western New York swing. Fairfield visit Canisius (4-10, 2-2 MAAC) on Saturday, Sept. 30 and heads to Niagara (8-5, 4-0 MAAC) on Sunday, Oct. 1.
 
Action returns to Alumni Hall on the following Saturday, Oct. 7 when the Stags welcome in-state MAAC foe Quinnipiac at 5 p.m. for a rematch of the 2016 MAAC Championship Match.