Balyko Earns Volleyball’s First Big Ten Weekly Honor as Freshman of the Week
Sep 04 | Women's Volleyball
Rookie setter posted two double-doubles, averaged 10.21 assists per set and totaled 14 blocks
PARK RIDGE, Ill. (Sept. 4, 2018) – Freshman setter Inna Balyko has been named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the period ending Sept. 2, marking Rutgers volleyball's first weekly award in the Big Ten since joining the conference in 2014.
Balyko led the Scarlet Knights to three victories over the weekend at Lehigh and Lafayette's Crosstown Tournament, posting two double-doubles, averaging 10.21 assists and totaling 14 blocks while playing every point of the four-match weekend.
"Inna performed at a high level in multiple areas," said head coach CJ Werneke. "Her setting was successful because of strong decision making, the double-double efforts were a result of outstanding defensive play, and she had a dominant weekend on the serve. Those are the expectations we have of her going forward. She's played at the highest levels internationally, and now she'll be doing that here against the Big Ten."
Balyko's two double-doubles were the third and fourth of her young career through seven matches. She had 34 assists and 10 digs in a win at Lafayette on Saturday, followed immediately by a 38-assist, 10-dig match in the victory over Rider.
The Gubkinsky, Russia native directed the Rutgers attack to the tune of a .271 hitting percentage, which included a .377 mark against Coppin State – the Scarlet Knights' best hitting performance in more than two years.
Also against Coppin State, Balyko served up five aces in the three-setter to rank second all-time for a single match in Rutgers' rally-scoring era (2008).
The freshman currently ranks eighth in the Big Ten with 10.25 assists per set, while leading the conference and ranking 36th nationally with 246 total assists.
Balyko and the Scarlet Knights return to action on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 7-8 for the Rutgers Invitational at the College Ave. Gym, beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Friday against Howard.
Follow Rutgers Volleyball on Twitter and Instagram (@RUvball) for all of the latest news and updates. The team is also on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersVolleyball). For all Rutgers Athletics news follow us on Twitter(@RUAthletics), Instagram (@RUAthletics), Snapchat (@RUAthletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersAthletics). For additional updates, please download the Gameday App.
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Balyko led the Scarlet Knights to three victories over the weekend at Lehigh and Lafayette's Crosstown Tournament, posting two double-doubles, averaging 10.21 assists and totaling 14 blocks while playing every point of the four-match weekend.
"Inna performed at a high level in multiple areas," said head coach CJ Werneke. "Her setting was successful because of strong decision making, the double-double efforts were a result of outstanding defensive play, and she had a dominant weekend on the serve. Those are the expectations we have of her going forward. She's played at the highest levels internationally, and now she'll be doing that here against the Big Ten."
Balyko's two double-doubles were the third and fourth of her young career through seven matches. She had 34 assists and 10 digs in a win at Lafayette on Saturday, followed immediately by a 38-assist, 10-dig match in the victory over Rider.
The Gubkinsky, Russia native directed the Rutgers attack to the tune of a .271 hitting percentage, which included a .377 mark against Coppin State – the Scarlet Knights' best hitting performance in more than two years.
Also against Coppin State, Balyko served up five aces in the three-setter to rank second all-time for a single match in Rutgers' rally-scoring era (2008).
The freshman currently ranks eighth in the Big Ten with 10.25 assists per set, while leading the conference and ranking 36th nationally with 246 total assists.
Balyko and the Scarlet Knights return to action on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 7-8 for the Rutgers Invitational at the College Ave. Gym, beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Friday against Howard.
Follow Rutgers Volleyball on Twitter and Instagram (@RUvball) for all of the latest news and updates. The team is also on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersVolleyball). For all Rutgers Athletics news follow us on Twitter(@RUAthletics), Instagram (@RUAthletics), Snapchat (@RUAthletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersAthletics). For additional updates, please download the Gameday App.
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