Hoekstra, Magalhaes sweep NEC weekly honors, garner ECAC accolades after 3-0 week

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – For the first time ever, Bryant University volleyball has swept the Molten/NEC weekly honors, as freshman rightside Sophie Hoekstra (Millersville, Md.) and senior libero Debora Magalhaes (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) pick up league accolades following the Bulldogs' three-win week.

Hoekstra takes home both the Molten/NEC Player and Rookie of the Week honors, while Magalhaes earns her second Molten/NEC Defensive Player of the Week recognition of the season. The pair also earned the first Corvias ECAC honors of their careers, with Hoekstra tabbed as Rookie of the Week and Magalhaes tabbed Libero of the Week.

Hoekstra powered Bryant to its 3-0 week, which included a pair of victories to open conference play over the weekend. The frosh recorded 35 kills (3.18/set) in the three wins, combining for 18 in the Bulldogs' victories over Dartmouth (3-1) and St. Francis Brooklyn (3-0).

Hoekstra saved her best for Bryant's 3-1 triumph over three-time NEC defending champion LIU Brooklyn, though, a victory that snapped the Blackbirds' 47-game NEC win streak dating back to the 2011 season. The rookie posted a career-high 17 kills with a .400 hitting percentage in the match, adding five block assists in the victory.

Hoekstra also finished the week with 12 block assists and 12 digs across the three matches. She ranks sixth in the NEC in hitting percentage (.253) and seventh in kills per game (2.85).

Magalhaes claimed the Molten/NEC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season after anchoring the Bulldog defense in a 3-0 week. The senior tallied 58 total digs (5.27/set) for Bryant, including 43 in league victories over St. Francis Brooklyn (22) and reigning NEC champion LIU Brooklyn (21) to begin NEC play. She posted match-leading dig numbers in all three outings, and her effort on Sunday helped Bryant to become the first team to tag LIU with a conference loss in nearly four years. Magalhaes, who also added seven aces on the week, ranks second in the NEC with 5.03 digs per game.

The Bulldogs are back in action Tuesday, when they travel to UMass Lowell for a 7:00 p.m. matchup.