After the opening week of matches in the NEC, University of Maryland Eastern Shore freshman Chase Valentine has been named the NEC men's volleyball Defensive Player and Rookie of the Week.  

Valentine helped tallied six total blocks (1.2 per set) for the Hawks and 12 kills (2.4 per set) for the Hawks and 17.5 total points in the first match in UMES program history. In the five-set win against the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras las week, Valentine added a pair of service aces to his total in his first collegiate match.  

Throughout the remainder of the NEC, Saint Francis' Brady Stump earned Player of the Week honors after he recorded 17 total kills (2.83 kills per set) and 22.0 total points (3.67 points per set) in two matches against No. 8 BYU last week. The senior outside hitter finished the week with a .250 hitting percentage and led the league in service aces (6).  

Additionally, UMES junior Andre Mills joined Valentine as an NEC Prime Performer.

NEC PRIME PERFORMERS  
  
Patrick Mullen, DAE (R-Fr., MB)  
Mullen had 22 total kills (3.14 kills per set) and 26.0 total points (3.71 points per set) in matches against No. 10 UC San Diego and No. 4 Pepperdine last week.  
  
Brady Stump, SFU (Sr., OH)  
Stump recorded 17 total kills (2.83 kills per set) and 22.0 total points (3.67 points per set) in two matches against No. 8 BYU last week.  
  
Andre Mills, UMES (Jr., OPP)  
Mills led the Hawks with 20 total kills (4.00 kills per set) and 25.0 total points (5.00 points per set) in a victory over University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras, the first-ever match in UMES history.  
  
Chase Valentine, UMES (Fr., MB)  
Valentine tallied 6.0 total blocks (1.20 blocks per set), 12 total kills (2.40 kills per set), and 17.5 total points (3.50 points per set) in Maryland Eastern Shore's first match in program history.