CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - After sweeping Providence in their only match last week, the New Hampshire Wildcats swept the America East volleyball weekly awards for the week ending Oct. 21, the conference office announced Monday. Morgan Thatcher was named Player of the Week, Taylor Dunklau earned Setter of the Week and Tori Forrest was Rookie of the Week.

Thatcher (Brockton, Mass.) earned her fourth Player of the Week honor after leading New Hampshire to a 3-0 sweep at Providence in the team's lone match of the week, racking up a match-high 15 kills and an impressive .387 hitting clip. She led the conference in kills per set (5.00) and fourth in hitting percentage. She also added seven digs and three blocks. Thatcher leads the Wildcats in both kills (331) and kills per set (3.60), posting double-digit kills in each of the last 10 matches and all but three matches this season... She also ranks third in the conference in kills (3.60).

Dunklau (Mukwonago, Wis.) stepped in for the injured Jansan Falcusan and quarterbacked the Wildcats to a conference-best .314 team hitting percentage. She also ranked second in the conference with a 12.67 assist per set average. The four-time America East Setter of the Week led all players with 38 assists and has now posted at least 30 assists in 12 matches this season.

Forrest (Powder Springs, Ga posted 10 kills with a .292 hitting percentage to pair with 12 digs for her third-straight double-double of the season. She ranks second on the team in both kills (232) and kills per set (2.67), ranking eighth in the conference in that category. Forrest has racked up double-digit kills in seven-straight matches, including every conference match.

Notes
Albany has won 50 of its last 53 America East matches with a 3-1 win over Hartford on Sunday...   The Great Danes could be the first team to clinch a spot in the America East Championship  with a win over Stony Brook on Friday... Stony Brook has been led by standout freshman Melissa Rigo, who continues to lead the conference with 4.30 kills per set. The last time a freshman led the conference in kills per set was Maine's Leah Voss in 2000.

2012 America East Volleyball Weekly Award Winners
Aug. 27 - Player of the Week: Melissa Rigo (Stony Brook); Setter of the Week: Taylor Dunklau (New Hampshire); Rookie of the Week: Melissa Rigo (Stony Brook)
Sept. 4 - Player of the Week: Sareeta Nethersole (Hartford); Setter of the Week: Taylor Dunklau (New Hampshire); Rookie of the Week: Melissa Rigo (Stony Brook)
Sept. 10 - Player of the Week: Morgan Thatcher (New Hampshire); Setter of the Week: Taylor Dunklau (New Hampshire); Rookie of the Week: Melissa Rigo (Stony Brook) 
Sept. 17 - Player of the Week: Sherelle Walker (UMBC); Setter of the Week: Mallory McIntyre (UMBC); Rookie of the Week: Sherelle Walker (UMBC)
Sept. 24 - Player of the Week: Morgan Thatcher (New Hampshire); Setter of the Week: Amanda Dettmann (Binghamton); Rookie of the Week: Brenna Buckwalter (New Hampshire)
Oct. 1 - Player of the Week: Morgan Thatcher (New Hampshire); Setter of the Week: Jansan Falcusan (New Hampshire); Rookie of the Week: Sherelle Walker (UMBC)
Oct. 8 - Player of the Week: Sara Pope (Albany); Setter of the Week: Gabby Whitworth (Albany); Rookie of the Week: Melissa Rigo (Stony Brook)
Oct. 15 - Player of the Week: Sara Pope (Albany); Setter of the Week: Jackie Tamburri (Hartford); Rookie of the Week: Tori Forrest (New Hampshire)
Oct. 22 - Player of the Week: Morgan Thatcher (New Hampshire); Setter of the Week: Taylor Dunklau (New Hampshire); Rookie of the Week: Tori Forrest (New Hampshire)