Powers named EIVA Tait Player of the Week, and Sports Imports/AVCA Division III Player of the Week

HUNTINGDON, Pa. – Juniata College senior middle hitter Dan Powers (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) has been named both the EIVA Tait Division Player of the Week and the Sports Imports/American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III Men's Player of the Week, in announcements made Monday by the EIVA and AVCA. 

Powers earned the award after leading the Eagles to two victories last week, including a an upset of then-no. 1 ranked Springfield College on Friday night – a win that allowed Juniata to clinch a berth in the 2009 Molten Division III Invitational Championship.

After beginning the week with seven kills, five blocks and a dig in a loss to nationally-ranked Penn State, Powers hit .480 while putting away 15 kills in a 3-1 toppling of Springfield. He also had two aces, two digs, and five blocks in the match. Powers closed out the week by hitting .667 with 10 kills in 15 attempts with zero errors in Juniata's 3-0 win over NJIT.

For the week, Powers hit .537 and averaged 3.20 kills, 1.10 blocks, and 4.35 points per set. 

Powers is the second Juniata player to take EIVA Tait Player of the Week honors this season; junior outside hitter Zach Wanner (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) won the award on February 10 for his play against Princeton University and NJIT. 

This is Powers' first selection as a Sports Imports/AVCA Division III National Player of the Week, and he is the 18th athlete from Juniata to receive the award. The last Eagle to receive the honor was Matt Fritz (2005-08) on March 26, 2007.

Juniata, led by third-year head coach Jeremy Price, is currently 12-7 overall, 6-4 in the EIVA's Tait Division, and currently in second place in the Tait Division standings. The Eagles were ranked second in last week's Bison/AVCA Division III coaches' poll.

Juniata will face Saint Francis (Pa.) on Friday, April 3, at 7:00 p.m. in Huntingdon, before closing out its EIVA Tait Division regular season slate on Saturday, April 4, at 4:00 p.m. against George Mason University.

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