KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association has announced new volleyball athletes of the week for week eight of the 2026 season. Three student-athletes from three different MIAA institutions earned this week’s honors. Emporia State’s Ryann Hamilton claimed her first Defensive Athlete of the Week honor, while Nebraska Kearney’s Brynn Stowell and Central Oklahoma’s Riley Roberts earned back-to-back weekly honors with Stowell named the Offensive Athlete of the Week and Roberts named the Setter of the Week for the second straight week.

 OFFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK:  Brynn Stowell, Nebraska Kearney   
Brynn Stowell averaged an MIAA-leading 5.25 points per set last week while helping No. 5-ranked Nebraska Kearney to a 2-1 week. The junior right-side hitter averaged 4.9 kills per set while hitting .384 through eight sets played. After the Lopers’ mid-week sweep of York (NAIA), Stowell recorded back-to-back double-digit kills in Maryville, Mo. Stowell totaled 18 kills with a .567 hitting percentage in the three-set sweep of Central Missouri on Friday (Oct. 16) before adding a match-high 20 kills on .278 hitting in the Lopers’ four-set loss to No. 18 Emporia State on Saturday (Oct. 17).
 
 DEFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK:  Ryann Hamilton, Emporia State     
Ryann Hamilton helped No. 18 Emporia State to an undefeated week with wins over Northwest Missouri and No. 5-ranked Nebraska Kearney. The junior middle blocker opened the weekend with a new career-high in blocks, tallying two solos and nine assisted blocks in the Hornets’ three-set sweep over the Bearcats. She then followed with six more blocks against the ranked Lopers as the Hornets upset Nebraska Kearney 3-1. Hamilton is the first Hornet to earn the MIAA Defensive Athlete of the Week award this season.

 SETTER OF THE WEEK:  Riley Roberts, Central Oklahoma     
Riley Roberts continued to lead Central Oklahoma as the Bronchos pushed their win streak to seven games. The senior setter dished out 91 assists for an MIAA-leading 13.00 assists per set on the week while beating Arkansas-Fort Smith and Missouri Southern for the MIAA In-Season Tournament, held at Leggett & Platt Athletic Center in Joplin, Mo. Roberts had a career-high 52 assists in the four-set win over UAFS on Thursday (Oct. 15) before adding 39 more in the sweep of Southern on Friday (Oct. 16). She also had 13 digs, seven kills, an ace and a block across seven sets.

OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
Crystal Smith, Pittsburg State     
Crystal Smith led the Gorillas through three straight wins last week with a team-high 4.55 points per set. The sophomore middle blocker averaged 3.3 kills and 1.8 blocks per set, totaling 33 kills and 18 blocks while hitting .387 across 10 sets. Smith had 10 kills (.471 hitting percentage) and a pair of blocks in Pitt State’s sweep of Northeastern State. She then added a match-high 17 kills (.419 hitting percentage) and nine total blocks in the 3-1 win over Newman before ending the week with six kills (.214 hitting percentage) and seven total blocks in the Gorillas’ three-set sweep of Northwestern Oklahoma.
 
Morgan Manning, Central Oklahoma     
Morgan Manning led Central Oklahoma's defensive efforts as the Bronchos ran their win streak to seven games with a pair of wins in Joplin, Mo., over the weekend. The sophomore dug up 55 attacks for an MIAA-leading 7.86 digs per set on the week. She had a career-high 30 digs in the Bronchos’ four-set win against Arkansas-Fort Smith before adding 25 more in the three-set sweep of Missouri Southern. Manning also recorded eight assists on the week. 
 
Anna Weberg, Missouri Western
Anna Weberg anchored the No. 8-ranked Griffons defense with 51 digs across eight sets, averaging 6.38 digs per set. In MoWest's five-set loss to No. 15 Washburn, Weberg recorded 29 digs, three service aces and four assists. She followed with 22 digs and one assist in the Griffons' 3-0 victory over Fort Hays State. Weberg finished the tournament with a .962 reception percentage on 26 attempts, committing just one reception error.
 
Brenna Weaver, Missouri Southern
Brenna Weaver directed the Lions' offense against Arkansas-Fort Smith and No. 25-ranked Central Oklahoma over the MIAA In-Season Tournament held at Leggett & Platt Athletic Center. Weaver distributed 48 assists in the four-set victory over Arkansas-Fort Smith, helping Southern record 56 kills and hit .224 as a team. She also had three aces and seven digs. The sophomore then added 32 assists and six digs in the three-set loss to the Bronchos. Weaver averaged 11.43 assists per set across the two matches. She also contributed three kills, four service aces, four total blocks and 13 digs across the two contests. 
 
ALSO NOMINATED:
OFFENSE – Myla Unterweger [Central Okahoma], Lavra Krizanic [Emporia State], Ella Goodwin [Fort Hays State], Grace Gardner [Missouri Southern], Brooklyn Morrissey [Washburn]
DEFENSE – Taylor Rottinghaus [Washburn], Ellie Spang [Nebraska Kearney], Haylee Wolf [Fort Hays State], Kasey Goldberg [Missouri Southern]
SETTER – Brailee Bogle [Emporia State], Jesa Wallace [Pittsburg State], Emma Siron [Washburn], Annie Eaton [Fort Hays State]
 

---

 
WEEK ONE:
Offensive – Emma Siron, Washburn
Defensive – Ellie Spang, Nebraska Kearney
Setter – Shannon Frakes, Washburn   
 
WEEK TWO:
Offensive – Lydia Pitts, Arkansas-Fort Smith
Defensive – Taylor Rottinghaus, Washburn
Setter – Shannon Frakes, Washburn   
 
WEEK THREE:
Offensive – Lavra Krizanic, Emporia State
Defensive – Kaitlyn Parrott, Central Oklahoma
Setter – Riley Roberts, Central Oklahoma
 
WEEK FOUR:
Offensive – Carly Purdy, Nebraska Kearney
Defensive – Anna Weberg, Missouri Western
Setter – Mya Karrick, Northwest Missouri     
 
WEEK FIVE:
Offensive – Brynne Topolski, Washburn
Defensive – Morgan Manning, Central Oklahoma
Setter – Annie Eaton, Fort Hays State     
 
WEEK SIX:
Offensive – Ella Goodwin, Fort Hays State
Defensive – Anna Weberg, Missouri Western
Setter – Annie Eaton, Fort Hays State     
 
WEEK SEVEN:
Offensive – Brynn Stowell, Nebraska Kearney
Defensive – Crystal Smith, Pittsburg State
Setter – Riley Roberts, Central Oklahoma      

WEEK EIGHT:
Offensive – Brynn Stowell, Nebraska Kearney
Defensive – Ryann Hamilton, Emporia State
Setter – Riley Roberts, Central Oklahoma