University of Minnesota Athletics
Christine Tan Named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week
9/22/2008 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Junior libero Christine Tan (Safety Harbor, Fla.) was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for Sept. 22. It marked the second time this year, and fourth time in her career that Tan has collected the honors.
Tan also collected Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors on Sept. 1, and last year on Oct. 1 and Nov. 19. The four weekly honors give Tan more Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors (honor started in 2005) then any other Golden Gopher.
Malama Peniata had three (collected all in 2006) and Paula Gentil claimed two in 2005. Tan joins former Penn State Nittany Lion Kaleena Walters, former Michigan Wolverine Stesha Selsky and current Purdue senior libero Kelli Miller as the only players to collect four Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors in their respective careers.
This past week, Tan averaged 6.50 dpg, 0.67 apg and received 61 of 62 serves successfully in a week where Minnesota went 2-1 and won the Gopher Invitational. She started the tournament with 17 digs against TCU on Sept. 19. Tan finished with 22 digs in a three-set victory over Winthrop in the Golden Gophers first match on Sept. 20.
She then collected 39 digs and five assists in a five-set loss to North Carolina on Sept. 20. Her 39 digs were tied for the fourth-most by a Golden Gopher in a single match. Tan also became the 14th Minnesota player to reach 1,000 career digs during the third set of the Winthrop match.
Tan enters Big Ten play leading the conference in digs with 5.35 dpg. She currently sits at 12th on Minnesota’s career list with 1,052 digs.
Tan also collected Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors on Sept. 1, and last year on Oct. 1 and Nov. 19. The four weekly honors give Tan more Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors (honor started in 2005) then any other Golden Gopher.
Malama Peniata had three (collected all in 2006) and Paula Gentil claimed two in 2005. Tan joins former Penn State Nittany Lion Kaleena Walters, former Michigan Wolverine Stesha Selsky and current Purdue senior libero Kelli Miller as the only players to collect four Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors in their respective careers.
This past week, Tan averaged 6.50 dpg, 0.67 apg and received 61 of 62 serves successfully in a week where Minnesota went 2-1 and won the Gopher Invitational. She started the tournament with 17 digs against TCU on Sept. 19. Tan finished with 22 digs in a three-set victory over Winthrop in the Golden Gophers first match on Sept. 20.
She then collected 39 digs and five assists in a five-set loss to North Carolina on Sept. 20. Her 39 digs were tied for the fourth-most by a Golden Gopher in a single match. Tan also became the 14th Minnesota player to reach 1,000 career digs during the third set of the Winthrop match.
Tan enters Big Ten play leading the conference in digs with 5.35 dpg. She currently sits at 12th on Minnesota’s career list with 1,052 digs.
Players Mentioned
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