Rhamat Alhassan Tabbed Sports Imports/AVCA Division I National Player of the Week
Tuesday, September 16, 2014 | Volleyball
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Just a day after picking up her second SEC weekly honor of the 2014 season, Florida freshman middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan is the Sports Imports/AVCA Division I National Player of the Week after Gator sweeps against then-No. 13 San Diego and No. 6 USC in Los Angeles last week.
A Glenarden, Md., product, Alhassan ranks second in the country with her .529 hitting efficiency and is the first freshman in nearly two years to be the AVCA National Player of the Week, last awarded to a first-year athlete in 2012.
The Gators' 6-4 middle blocker, who averages 1.28 roofs per set, gives the University of Florida 12 AVCA National Player of the Week accolades all-time with her Tuesday honor, and is the first UF player to pick up national weekly honors since Kristy Jaeckel in October 2011. Alhassan, the SEC Offensive Player of the Week, is additionally the first UF freshman to be recognized since four-time All-American Kelly Murphy in 2008 and is the 17th freshman to ever be a national player of the week, the last being USC's Sam Bricio Oct. 9, 2012.
WATCH: Florida vs. USC Highlights
A LOOK AT RHAMAT'S LAST WEEK
Alhassan led Florida with a .575 clip, 27 kills (4.50 k/s), 5.58 points per set and 2.0 blocks per set last week as the Gators improved to 5-2 on the season with a pair of wins over ranked opponents, including career victory No. 800 for Florida head coach Mary Wise with the 3-0 victory against USC in Trojan territory.
Alhassan had career matches against both the Toreros and Trojans as the Gators swept through their two opponents at the Galen Center on the USC campus. Her .800 clip against San Diego, a match where the Gators hit a season-best .449 as a team, marked the third time this season for Alhassan above a .750 hitting efficiency in a single match, all three times error free, while her 16 kills and 19.0 points were both career-best outputs.
Alhassan's 12 blocks on the week, including a career-best seven in the sweep of No. 6 USC, made her UF's blocking leader in all seven matches for the Gators so far this season. She notched 11 kills against USC for her third double-digit kill performance of the year, while her .350 hitting efficiency against the Trojans was her sixth match with an attack percentage above .300.
Alhassan continues to pace the SEC with her .529 season hitting efficiency, is the top freshman in the league with 1.28 blocks per set while her 3.44 points per set rank third among first-year players in the conference.
2014 FLORIDA VOLLEYBALL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK HONORS
Sept. 2: SEC Freshman of the Week, Rhamat Alhassan
Sept. 15: SEC Offensive Player of the Week, Rhamat Alhassan
Sept. 16: Sports Imports/AVCA National Player of the Week, Rhamat Alhassan
UP NEXT
Florida returns back home to Gainesville to host the Campus USA Credit Union Invite Sept. 19-21 when UF hosts Marquette and UCF in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. Both matches will be broadcast on SEC Network +.
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