VOLLEYBALL: Audrey Leak becomes the first Bulldog to win AVCA National Player of the Week
On Oct. 3, Leak became the first Yale Volleyball player to win the AVCA National Player of the Week based on her performance during the last weekend of September.
Kate Estevez, Contributing Photographer
Every week during the fall season, the American Volleyball Coaches Association names a National Player of the Week to a student-athlete who has had a highly successful last seven days. Last week, Yale’s own Bulldog Audrey Leak ’24 received the award, becoming the first Eli to do so.
Leak hit career personal records on two consecutive nights last week. Her streak of domination began with 23 kills in the University of Pennsylvania game, helping the Bulldogs quiet the Quakers in a 3–0 win on Friday. The second night, Leak topped the record she set the night before in a 24-kill game against Princeton University, helping the Elis capture the win against the Tigers 3–1 on Saturday.
When her teammates learned that Leak received this prestigious award, they said that no one was surprised.
“Everyone was incredibly happy for Audrey, but it comes as no shock,” said Laurece Abraham ’27. “Audrey always puts so much effort into our practices and our games. She serves as someone to look up to, especially for the freshman this year, and we are all so incredibly proud of her.”
Audrey ended September on a high. She averaged 6.71 kills per set and had a .482 hitting percentage during these games.
When the AVCA GameChanger Division I Women’s Player of the Week was awarded on Oct. 3, Leak’s coaches said they knew she would be perfect for the distinction.
“Audrey had an unbelievable weekend,” said head coach Erin Appleman. “She was simply unstoppable. She has worked very hard on learning a new position and working on her transition this season. Audrey has really improved her overall game, while being a great leader on and off the court.”
Leak transitioned from right side hitter to outside hitter this year, with Carly Diehl ’25 as her setter. When Leak spoke with the News, she mentioned that she knew she would need to play at a high level against Penn and Princeton since the Quakers and Tigers are formidable opponents. She was ready to compete and have fun.
Unlike her teammates, Leak said she was surprised when she received the call informing her that she won the award.
“It truly is such a big honor and I am so proud of my team and my coaches for helping me accomplish it,” she told the News. “It’s a great accomplishment for Yale volleyball, and I am very happy that all the work that my team and I have been putting in everyday in practice was recognized nationally. I am very proud of myself, but as a whole, this was only possible because my passers and setter also had great games, and they were able to give me great opportunities all weekend.”
Yale plays the Harvard Crimson this Friday at home in the John J. Lee Amphitheater.