FRISCO, Texas — Lamar's Maja Malinowska, UIW's Ashton Rogers and UTRGV's Lana Rnjak have been named this week's Southland Conference Volleyball Players of the Week, the conference office announced Monday. Rnjak is a second-time winner this season while Rogers and Malinowska get their first nod of the year.
Offensive Player of the Week: Maja Malinowska, Lamar – Jr. – OH – Wloclawek, Poland (Stezyca Secondary School of Sports Championships)
Malinowska averaged 5.1 kills per set this week, posting a total of 41 kills, 17 digs, two service aces and two assists across a pair of conference matches. She led the offense in a sweep of LSU New Orleans with 16 kills and recorded a season-high 25 kills along with 10 digs to notch her seventh double-double during a five-set battle against Southeastern.
Defensive Player of the Week: Ashton Rogers, UIW – So. – LB – Bakersfield, Calif. (Liberty High School)
Rogers helped UIW open Southland Conference play 2-0, recording 22 and 20 digs in the Cardinals’ two matches. She averaged 5.25 digs per set, with both performances ranking among her season highs. Rogers leads UIW with 4.98 digs per set, ranking third in the Southland and 29th in all of Division I . She anchors a Cardinal defense ranked second in the conference and 44th nationally, with 15.58 digs per set.
Honorable mention: Kyanna Creecy, SFA
Setter of the Week: Lana Rnjak, UTRGV – Fr. – S – Pancevo, Serbia
Rnjak recorded 58 assists across two matches against McNeese and Nicholls, highlighted by a .800 hitting percentage and a double-double against the latter. She is second in conference play in assists per set at 9.67 through two matches.
Honorable mention: Virginia Van Der Werff, A&M-Corpus Christi
2026 Southland Volleyball Players of the Week
| Date |
Offensive |
Defensive |
Setter |
| Aug. 31 |
Ariana Brown, East Texas A&M |
Jade Washington, East Texas A&M |
Isabella Padilla Nicholls |
| Sept. 7 |
Ariana Brown, East Texas A&M |
Jade Washington, East Texas A&M |
Lana Rjnak, UTRGV |
| Sept. 14 |
Olivia Nzioki, Northwestern State |
Emmarie McFarland, Northwestern State |
Ava Hight, A&M-Corpus Christi |
| Sept. 21 |
Katherine Holtman, SFA |
Sophia Tocmo, McNeese |
Jade Longlad, Northwestern State |
| Sept. 28 |
Maja Malinowska, Lamar |
Ashton Rogers, UIW |
Lana Rnjak, UTRGV |