KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association has announced new volleyball athletes of the week for week four of the 2026 season. Three new student-athletes collected this week’s MIAA honors with Nebraska Kearney’s Carly Purdy named the Offensive Athlete of the Week, Missouri Western’s Anna Weberg named the Defensive Athlete of the Week, and Northwest Missouri’s Mya Karrick named the Setter of the Week.
OFFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Carly Purdy, Nebraska Kearney
Carly Purdy led the No. 7-ranked Lopers to a 2-0 week as Nebraska Kearney opened MIAA competition on the road against Fort Hays State and No. 13 Washburn. The senior outside hitter averaged 4.3 kills per set while hitting .429 overall. In the Lopers’ three-set sweep of Fort Hays State, Purdy hit .471 with eight kills before adding 18 kills on .410 hitting in the 3-0 sweep of the No. 13-ranked Ichabods. Purdy and the Lopers are currently on a 13-game win streak with all 13 wins being three-set matches.
DEFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Anna Weberg, Missouri Western
Anna Weberg anchored the Griffon defense as No. 8-ranked MoWest opened MIAA play with back-to-back sweeps over No. 22 Central Oklahoma and Newman. The senior libero totaled 35 digs across six sets, averaging an MIAA-leading 5.83 digs per set for the week. Weberg recorded 17 digs in the 3-0 sweep of the ranked Bronchos before adding a weekend-high 18 digs in the 3-0 victory over Newman. Weberg also added six assists and finished the weekend with a .957 reception percentage on 23 reception attempts.
SETTER OF THE WEEK: Mya Karrick, Northwest Missouri
Mya Karrick averaged an MIAA-leading 9.33 assists per set while helping Northwest to a 2-0 start to MIAA play. The senior setter first totaled 40 assists, two blocks, a kill and a service ace in the Bearcats’ five-set win over No. 22-ranked Central Oklahoma. Karrick then contributed 44 assists, four kills, a block and a service ace in a four-set triumph over Newman.
OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
Maya Fergerson, Central Missouri
Maya Fergerson helped the Jennies to a 2-1 record this past week, which included MIAA sweeps over Arkansas-Fort Smith and Northeastern State on the road. The senior outside hitter opened the week with 20 kills on 42 swings (.333 hitting percentage) and six blocks in the Jennies four-set loss to Rockhurst. She followed the loss with a pair of 12-kill outings in the 3-0 wins over the RiverHawks and Arkansas-Fort Smith. Fergerson led the MIAA with 44 kills and 4.4 kills per set for the week.
Sophia Gartner, Northwest Missouri
Sophia Gartner averaged 4.33 kills per set while hitting .301 in leading the Bearcats to a perfect 2-0 start to the MIAA season. Gartner registered 39 kills in the two matches after having totaled 34 for the entire season prior to the week beginning. The senior outside hitter entered Thursday's match against No. 22-ranked Central Oklahoma with 34 kills on the season. She then posted a career-high 23 kills in guiding the Bearcats to a 3-2 win over the ranked Bronchos. Gartner added a team-high 16 kills and had another career high with seven blocks in a four-set triumph over Newman Friday night.
Kaelyn MdDonald, Central Missouri
Kaelyn McDonald helped Central Missouri to a 2-1 record to open MIAA action this past week, with sweeps over Arkansas-Fort Smith and Northeastern State on the road. The fifth-year posted 25 kills, 13 blocks, and four digs in three matches. In the Jennies’ sweep of the RiverHawks, McDonald had five blocks and 11 kills on 13 swings for a .769 hitting percentage. She also posted nine kills on 20 attempts (.350 attack percentage), eight blocks, and three digs in a non-conference meeting against Rockhurst.
ALSO NOMINATED:
OFFENSE – Taylor Russell [Missouri Western], Addysen Alvis [Missouri Southern], Lavra Krizanic [Emporia State], Mylie Brown [Fort Hays State], Crystal Smith [Pittsburg State]
DEFENSE – Ellery Luhring [Northwest Missouri], Kasey Goldberg [Missouri Southern], Haylee Wolf [Fort Hays State], Mia Frisbie [Emporia State], Ellie Spang [Nebraska Kearney], Taylor Rottinghaus [Washburn]
SETTER – Isabella Holcomb [Central Missouri], Brenna Weaver [Missouri Southern], Callie Squiers [Nebraska Kearney], Annie Eaton [Fort Hays State]
2026 MIAA VOLLEYBALL ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
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