USPV Player Of The Week 4-8
Mike Miazga, Director of Media Relations USPV
Contact: Mike Miazga, Director Media Relations, USPV, (630) 575-8827
(office)
Chill’s Branagh Named USPV Player Of The Week
Helps Chill Clinch USPV Regular Season Championship
OAKBROOK TERRACE, ILL., April 8, 2002_ Minnesota Chill outside hitter
Nicole Branagh has been named United States Professional Volleyball
(USPV) Player Of The Week for the period April 1-7.
Branagh, a former University of Minnesota standout, averaged 19.5
points, 16 kills and 2 service aces in 3 matches during a stretch
where the Chill clinched the regular season title and home court
advantage throughout the USPV playoffs. Branagh notched a career-best
24 points, including a career-high 21 kills in a match against St.
Louis on April 2.
Branagh, the all-time kills leader in Big Ten Conference history,
ranks third in the league in scoring at 16.5 ppm and second in the
league in kills at 14.1. She has registered 14 matches with double
digit kill totals this season, including a current streak of 8 matches
in a row (15.1 kills average during that 8-match run).
Branagh, who reached the 200 point plateau faster than any other USPV
player in 2002, has also had at least 2 service aces in her last 6
matches.
Branagh becomes the fourth Chill player to win the award this season,
joining USPV service ace and setting assist leader Lindsey Berg (Week
4), Lindsay Henning (Week 5) and Brandy Barratt (Week 8).
USPV Standings
Team W L Pts
X Minnesota 11 5 35
Chicago 9 6 24
St. Louis 7 8 21
Grand Rapids 4 12 13
X clinched regular season title and home court advantage throughout
the playoffs
Wednesday’s match
St. Louis at Grand Rapids, 7 p.m