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 once again collect this week’s honors with Washburn’s Brynne Topolski named the Offensive Athlete of the Week, Central Oklahoma’s Morgan Manning named the Defensive Athlete of the Week, and Fort Hays State’s Annie Eaton named the Setter of the Week.  

 OFFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK:  Brynne Topolski, Washburn  
Brynn Topolski rewrote the Washburn record books as she led the No. 15-ranked Ichabods to a 3-0 week with wins over Northwest Missouri, Arkansas-Fort Smith and Northeastern State. Topolski led Washburn’s offense with an MIAA-leading 43 kills (4.3 per set) while hitting an impressive .563 on the week. She also added 10 digs and 10 blocks across 10 sets played. The junior outside hitter tallied double-figure kills in all three matches and set a new Washburn program record while hitting .810 with 17 kills in a three-set win over Northeastern State. Her .810 hitting percentage marked the best individual hitting percentage in a single match with at least 20 attempts in Division II this season and the best since the 2023-24 season. 
 
 DEFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK:  Morgan Manning, Central Oklahoma     
Morgan Manning shined in her first two career matches at libero for Central Oklahoma this week as the Bronchos went 2-0 in MIAA action. The sophomore defensive specialist dug up 51 total attacks for an MIAA-leading 7.29 per set through seven sets played during the week. Manning recorded 24 digs in her first match at libero as the Bronchos swept Missouri Southern last Thursday (Sept. 24). She then added 27 digs in the four-set win over Central Missouri on Friday (Sept. 25). Manning also had three service aces for the Bronchos.

 SETTER OF THE WEEK:  Annie Eaton, Fort Hays State     
Annie Eaton put together a huge weekend as the Tigers split a pair of home MIAA matches against Pittsburg State and No. 17-ranked Emporia State. The sophomore setter averaged 13.1 assists and 3.4 digs per set, highlighted by a 70-assist performance in Fort Hays State’s five-set win over Pittsburg State. Eaton’s 70 single-match assists is the most by any Division II player this season, is one of just 10 total 70-plus assist performances by a Division II athlete since 2020, is the most by any setter in the MIAA since 2018, and is the second-best single-game effort at FHSU during the rally scoring era. Eaton added eight kills, seven blocks and three service aces on the week, while also posting an attack percentage of .300. Her efforts in Friday’s match against the Gorillas helped the Tigers rack up 85 kills in a win, which is the most single-match kills by any NCAA Division II team so far this season.

OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
Ella Goodwin, Fort Hays State      
Ella Goodwin averaged 4.11 kills per set and posted an attack percentage of .329 at home last week as Fort Hays State went 1-1 against MIAA opponents. The junior racked up 22 kills and posted a .425 swing rate in a five-set win over Pittsburg State last Friday (Sept. 25). Her 22 kills are the most single-match kills by a Tiger this season and fourth-most by any MIAA attacker this year. She then added 15 kills and eight digs last Saturday (Sept. 26) in the Tigers’ three-set loss to No. 17-ranked Emporia State. Goodwin also added 10 digs and two blocks on the week.
 
Kaelyn MdDonald, Central Missouri      
Kaelyn McDonald helped the Jennies to a 2-1 week with sweeps over Maryville at home and against Newman in Wichita. The fifth-year middle blocker posted 28 kills on 64 swings (.328 hitting percentage), while adding 13 total blocks, 12 digs, and two assists for good measure. Kaelyn posted a week-best 12 kills on 30 swings (.300 hitting percentage) and five total blocks in Central Missouri’s lone loss of the week at receiving votes Central Oklahoma on Friday night (Sept. 25). In the sweep of the Jets, McDonald had nine kills on 21 swings (.333 attack percentage), while having seven kills on 13 attempts (.385 hitting percentage) in the sweep against the Saints. 
 
Taylor Rottinghaus, Washburn        
Taylor Rottinghaus controlled the Ichabod defense in a 3-0 week, collecting 58 total digs across ten sets (5.80 digs per set). Washburn held opponents’ hitting under .180 in all three matches this week with Rottinghaus in the back row. In a sweep over Arkansas-Fort Smith, the senior scooped up 23 digs while also serving two aces in the win.
 
Riley Roberts, Central Oklahoma         
Riley Roberts led Central Oklahoma to a 2-0 week in the MIAA, dishing out 10.71 assists per set. The senior totaled 75 assists in seven total sets played as the Bronchos beat Missouri Southern and Central Missouri in Edmond. Roberts first had 31 assists in UCO's sweep of the Lions on Thursday night (Sept. 24) before collecting 44 assists in the four-set win over the Jennies on Friday night (Sept. 25). Roberts also added seven kills and three service aces to help the offense and chipped in 13 digs to help the defense.
 
ALSO NOMINATED:
OFFENSE – Brynn Stowell [Nebraska Kearney], Mason Palace [Pittsburg State], Georgia Ahlert [Central Oklahoma], Lavra Krizanic [Emporia State], Miller Sky [Newman]
DEFENSE – Ragin Corwin [Central Missouri], Kennedy Behnke [Pittsburg State], Haylee Wolf [Fort Hays State], Miyu Tsurumaki [Emporia State], Madalyn Hoot [Newman]
SETTER – Lauren Tyler [Washburn], Brailee Bogle [Emporia State], Madalyn Hoot [Newman], Ellie Eckman [Nebraska Kearney], Jesa Wallace [Pittsburg State]
 

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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