FRISCO, Texas — SFA's Izabella Ortiz along with A&M-Corpus Christi's Brooklyn Jaeger and Virginia Van der Werff have earned this week's Jersey Mike's Southland Conference Volleyball Player of the Week awards, the league office announced Monday. Van der Werff earns her third recognition of the season and Jaeger claims her second. This is Ortiz's first recognition of the season.
Offensive Player of the Week: Izabella Ortiz, SFA – Sr. – MB – Flower Mound, Texas (Flower Mound High School)
Ortiz made her return to the court after suffering a season-ending ACL tear last season. She played in both of SFA's dominant wins over New Orleans and Southeastern Louisiana, recording 17 kills, one error, four blocks, and hit .667 overall. In the match against the Lions, Bella led the team with 12 kills and hit .688 while also adding three blocks to cap off her season debut weekend.
Honorable Mention: Allana Archie, HCU
Defensive Player of the Week: Brooklyn Jaeger, A&M-Corpus Christi – R So. – OH/L – Fayetteville, Texas (Fayetteville High School)
Jaeger averaged 5.71 digs/set on the week and now leads the league with a total mark of 5.36/set in conference play. She recorded her 7th 20-dig performance of the year and third in the last five matches with 22 in a three-set match against Northwestern State.
Honorable Mention: Ashton Rogers, UIW
Setter of the Week: Virginia Van der Werff, A&M-Corpus Christi – So. – S – Lansing Kan. (Lansing High School)
Van der Werff tallied 80 assists through two matches for an average of 11.43/set. She leads the league overall with a season average of 9.36 assists/set. Van der Werff ran the Islanders to a .309 team hitting percentage on the week while adding 11 digs, 3 kills, and 3 aces.
Honorable Mention: Peyton Fadal, HCU
2025 Southland Conference Volleyball Players of the Week
| Date |
Offensive |
Defensive |
Setter |
| Sept. 1 |
Kyra McKelvey, Southeastern |
Celianiz Cabranes, UTRGV |
Virginia Van der Werff, A&M-Corpus Christi |
| Sept. 8 |
Katherine Holtman |
India Bennett, Southeastern |
Calissa Allison, UIW |
| Sept. 15 |
Tamara Chavez, Nicholls |
Brooklyn Jaeger, A&M-Corpus Christi |
Virginia Van der Werff, A&M-Corpus Christi |
| Sept. 22 |
Kitana Tu'ufuli, UIW |
Gabby Baker, Lamar |
Isabella Costantini, UTRGV |
| Sept. 29 |
Finley Evans, UIW |
India Bennett, Southeastern |
Peyton Fadal, HCU |
| Oct. 6 |
Izabella Ortiz, SFA |
Brooklyn Jaeger, A&M-Corpus Christi |
Virginia Van der Werff, A&M-Corpus Christi |
Southland weekly award winners are nominated and voted upon by each school's sports information director. Voting for one's own athlete is not permitted. To earn honorable mention, a student-athlete must appear on 25 percent of ballots.