WESTERVILLE, Ohio – Baldwin Wallace University junior All-Ohio Athletic Conference libero Lauren Gardner (Avon/St. Joseph Academy) and junior outside hitter Sam Rueda (Aurora, Ill./Metea Valley) have been named the OAC Women's Volleyball Defensive and Offensive Players of the Week.
Gardner, who garners her fifth career weekly honor, and Rueda, who earns her first career weekly, accolade, led BW to a pair of OAC victories over crosstown rival John Carroll University last Wednesday and Muskingum University last Saturday before dropping a non-conference match to defending NCAA Division III Champion and No. 1 nationally ranked Juniata (Pa.) College last Saturday.
Last week, Gardner recorded 45 digs, five assists and one service in two matches. She had a match-high 22 digs against John Carroll and a match-high 23 digs versus Muskingum.
This season, Gardner has appeared 18 matches and has recorded a team high and OAC seventh best 324 digs. She has also recorded 57 assists and 15 services aces. Gardner recorded her 1000th career dig against Bethany (W. Va.) College on September 2.
In her career, Gardner has played in 69 matches and has recorded 1,085 digs, 221 assists and 73 service aces. She is a two-time All-OAC second-team honoree and the 2022 OAC Libero of the Year. Gardner earned her previous four weekly honors on September 12 and October 10 of 2022 and October 4 and 18 of 2021.
Last week, Rueda tallied 32 kills, 30 digs and one assist in two full matches and one set in third. She posted match-highs of 19 kills versus John Carroll and 11 kills versus Muskingum.
On the season, Rueda has played 20 matches and leads the team and is 10th in the OAC with 190 kills. She is second on the team and 18th in the league with 178 digs. Rueda also added a career-best 21 blocks, 12 services aces and a career-best six assists.
For her career, Rueda has appeared in 59 matches and has recorded 501 kills, 407 digs, 42 blocks and 13 assists. She was the 2021 Fall Team Jacket Award winner.
The Yellow Jackets are back in action on Wednesday, October 18 when they travel to Tiffin for an OAC match against Heidelberg University in the Seiberling Gymnasium at 7 p.m.
