Sept. 14, 2009

www.SIUSalukis.com

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Southern Illinois volleyball player Rachael Brown has been named the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Week the league announced Monday.

Brown, a freshman setter from Brownsburg, Ind., helped lead the SIU offense to a perfect 3-0 record and a third tournament title this season at the Saluki Invitational over the weekend earning her second weekly honor this season.

She averaged 9.86 assists, 0.43 blocks and 1.14 digs per set in three matches, helping lead the Salukis to a 10-0 record to start the season, the best in program history.

She recorded a career-high 50 assists, five digs and three block assists in a four-set match over UAB Friday. On Saturday, she recorded 47 assists and eight digs in a 3-2 victory over Murray State. She wrapped up the tournament with a 41-assist, three dig, two block assist effort in another five-set match over Valparaiso.

This week's MVC Player of the Week is Wichita State's Emily Stockman, the Defensive Player of the Week is Sarah McGee, also of Wichita State.