Courtesy: Stanford Athletics
STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford outside hitter Brittany Howard and opposite Hayley Hodson have been selected the Pac-12 Offensive Player and Freshman of the Week, Commissioner Larry Scott announced today.
The pair helped lead Stanford to wins over California on Senior Night and on the road at then-No. 13 UCLA last week. Howard averaged 3.78 kills, 2.00 digs and 4.33 points per set while hitting .379 for the two matches. Hodson led the Cardinal with 4.33 kills, 2.11 digs and 5.05 points per set.
Howard helped lead the senior class to a perfect 8-0 record against Cal and a 7-0 mark against UCLA in their four years on The Farm. Against the Golden Bears, she notched her 10th double-double of the year with 12 kills and 13 digs. Versus the Bruins, the Los Altos, California native recorded a career-high 22 kills with just one attack error to hit .404.
It is the first Offensive Player of the Week honor for Howard, and her fourth conference honor as she was the defensive player of the week and twice named the freshman of the week in 2012. Stanford now has 96 total player of the week honors.
Hodson finished with a team-high 18 kills on .351 hitting to go with six digs and five blocks in the four-set win over the Golden Bears. The Newport Beach, California native followed up with 21 kills, 13 digs and four blocks in a come-from-behind five-set win at then-No. 13 UCLA. She is tied for the team-lead with 12 double-doubles on the year and has tallied 20-plus kills in a match on four occasions.
It marks the fifth weekly honor for Hodson and the 15th freshman of the week accolade for the Cardinal all-time, which is the most in the conference.
Stanford was awarded the No. 8 overall seed for the 2015 NCAA Tournament. The Cardinal, which is making its 35th consecutive NCAA appearance, will take on New Mexico State in the first round on Thursday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. in Maples Pavilion. The winner will face either Colorado State or Loyola Marymount on Friday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m.