Aug. 31, 2009

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Senior libero Kate Nobilio (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg) has been named the Big Ten Conference's Co-Defensive Player of the Week after three impressive performances in the Kentucky Classic this past weekend. It is the third time Nobilio has earned Player of the Week honors and the first since Sept. 17, 2007.

Nobilio recorded 28 digs in the season opener against 21st-ranked Kentucky, which is the fourth-highest four-set total in program history. She repeated that performance against Florida International the following morning, eclipsing the 1,700-dig mark for her career. Nobilio, who is both the program's all-time digs leader and the Big Ten's active digs leader, finished with 65 on the weekend, upping her career total to 1,730. She also was perfect in her service receptions while anchoring the Wildcat defense, which held their opponents to a .150 hitting percentage.

With her third Player of the Week honor, Nobilio ties Christie Gardner for the second-most in the program's history. Janine Makar earned four Player of the Week honors from 1985-1988.

Nobilio shares the Defensive Player of the Week with Minnesota's Christine Tan, who compiled 47 digs in two matches for the Gophers this past weekend. Michigan State's Kyndra Abron was named the Offensive Player of the Week, while Penn State's Darcy Dolton earned the conference's first-ever Freshman of the Week honor.

Nobilio and her NU teammates return to action this weekend at the IUPUI Hampton Inn Invitational in Indianapolis, Ind. The Wildcats open up the tournament with a double header on Saturday, Sept. 5, facing Miami (Ohio) at 9 a.m. CT before taking on the host Jaguars at 6 p.m. NU closes out the two-day tournament bright and early Sunday morning, facing Western Kentucky at 11:30 a.m. CT on Sept. 6.