ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Following a weekend in which she was named the Most Valuable Player at the Western Michigan Tournament, Illinois State senior Aida Shadwald has been named the season's opening Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week.
The award is her second career MVC Player of the Week honor, as she had previously earned the award on October 7, 2024.
She had 29 total kills over nine sets in the opening weekend, and she is averaging 3.22 kills per set, while hitting at a .278 percentage. She is one of two players in the MVC to be averaging at least 3.0 kills and digs, and the only player to rank inside of the top-15 in kills per set, hitting percentage, aces per set, and digs per set.
The Prairie du Sac, Wiconsin, native, led the Redbirds in kills during two of her three matches on the week, knocking down a season-high 12 in the opener against 2024 NIVC qualifier DePaul, and 11 more against Oakland in the weekend finale.
The Redbirds are 3-0 for the first time since 2010 and have swept their first three opponents for the first time since 1992, and just the fourth time in program history.
ISU travels to Iowa City, Iowa, for a Thursday afternoon battle with the Loyola Ramblers to kick off the Iowa Tournament, hosted by the University of Iowa.
