Afonso Named Big West Offensive Player of the Week
UC San Diego’s Ava Afonso has been recognized as the Big West Conference Offensive Player of the Week, the league announced Monday, September 25, 2023. the honor comes after a dominant performance during the UC San Diego Invite,where she led the Tritons to a 3-1 record.
Afonso’s stellar play is a key component of UC San Diego’s transition to NCAA Division I competition within The Big West, beginning in 2020 after two decades of success in Division II. This weekly award highlights the program’s continued growth and competitiveness at the highest level, impacting team morale and recruiting efforts as the Tritons strive for conference championships and national recognition.
The outside hitter recorded double-digit kills in all four matches of the invite, averaging 4.06 kills per set. Afonso tallied a career-high 22 kills against Boise State on september 15, 2023, and followed it up with 18 kills against Northern Arizona on September 16, 2023. She also contributed defensively, averaging 2.68 digs per set.
Other recent UC San Diego volleyball player accolades include: Molly McCluskey, Freshman (Sept. 2, 2024); Jasmine Saran, Defensive (Nov. 6, 2023 & Oct. 23, 2023); lauren Brooker, Freshman (Oct. 23, 2023, Sept. 18, 2023 & Aug. 28, 2023); Ava mcinnes, Offensive (Sept. 18, 2023 & Oct. 17, 2022); Emily mcdaniel, Defensive (Aug. 28, 2023) & Freshman (Oct. 18, 2021); and Naya Dong, Defensive (Sept. 13, 2021).
UC san Diego Athletics boasts a history of success, having earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships across its 23 sports during its time in Divisions II and III. The program has guided 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors, with 84 earning Academic all-America honors and 38 receiving NCAA post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes maintain a graduation rate of 91 percent, consistently ranking among the highest in the nation.
