CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - New Hampshire's Morgan Thatcher captured her second-straight America East Player of the Week award, while teammate Jansan Falcusan was named Setter of the Week as the Wildcats improved to 3-0 in conference play. UMBC freshman Sherelle Walker earned Rookie of the Week honors, the conference office announced Monday.

Thatcher (Brockton, Mass.) earned her third Player of the Week honor this season, after leading the Wildcats to a 2-0 weekend with road wins over UMBC and Binghamton. She totaled 35 kills and averaged 3.89 kills per set (ranking third in the conference) with a .351 hitting percentage (fifth in the conference) last week. Thatcher also added nine digs and seven blocks. In the five-set win over UMBC, Thatcher led the Wildcats with 18 kills and a .405 hitting percentage. She only had three attack errors in the entire five-set match. The junior also led the team with 17 kills in the four-set win over Binghamton. Thatcher has led UNH in kills in every match during the team's six-match winning streak, averaging 4.24 kills per set and a .307 hitting percentage in that span. She leads the Wildcats in kills (269) and kills per set (3.54) this season, racking up double-digit kills in all but three of the team's 19 matches.

Falcusan  (Plymouth, Mich.) quarterbacked UNH to a league-best .274 hitting percentage, averaging 11.44 assists per set. She logged 50-plus assists in both wins, posting 51 against UMBC before racking up 52 at Binghamton in four sets. Falcusan has recorded at least 30 assists in the last six matches since she missed the first three weeks of the season due to injury. UNH is on a six-match winning streak since Falcusan returned to the starting lineup as the setter has averaged 10.80 assists per set in that span, leading her team to a .252 hitting percentage.

Walker (New Freedom, Pa.) was outstanding in helping UMBC to a 1-1 record last week, ranking second in the conference in kills per set at 4.33, while also ranking third in hitting percentage at .419. Her 22 kills against New Hampshire on Friday set a new career-high for a single contest. Walker then returned on Sunday to hit .469 with 17 kills as the Retrievers rallied to beat Providence.

Notes
New Hampshire is on a six-match winning streak after beating UMBC and Binghamton on the road last week... Providence's Cassie Muzzonigro collected 11 digs twice this weekend, breaking the school record with her 1,600th career dig in the match Sunday against UMBC... Albany has won 45 of its last 48 America East matches.

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)