Oct. 3, 2011

By Danielle Minch
Athletic Media Relations

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo--Katelyn Steffan had the weekend of her career, and in result, was honored with the Co-Mountain West Player of the Week award, the conference announced Monday.

Steffan, a 6-4 senior from Dickinson, N.D., led CSU to a 2-0 record last week, maintaining first place in the conference standings after recording 46 kills in two matches. She began the week by setting a career high with 28 kills, shattering her previous high (21) in a 3-2 win over UNLV in Las Vegas on Thursday. At the time, the kills mark was the most by a MW player this season. She also had two blocks, five digs and an assist in the match. Steffan followed up that performance with 18 kills and five blocks in a 3-1 win at San Diego State on Sunday.  She also had three assists, two aces and six digs in the televised match from San Diego.
 
For the week, Steffan averaged 5.11 kills, 0.78 blocks, 1.22 digs and 0.44 assists per set, while hitting .400. She averaged 5.72 points per set over nine total sets.
 
Head coach Tom Hilbert was impressed by Steffan's play.
 
"Kate was the sole reason we won the match," Hilbert said after CSU's five-set thriller on Thursday. "That was the best I've ever seen her play."
 
The award was Steffan's second of her career, with the first MW Player of the Week honor coming on Sept. 15, 2008, Steffan's freshman season.

Steffan shared this week's honor with New Mexico senior Ashley Rhoades.