Player of the Week - No. 1

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Outside hitter Danica Markovic of Texas at Brownsville has been named the first NAIA Volleyball National Player of the Week for the 2011 season, the national office announced Tuesday. Markovic was selected based on her performance from Aug. 29 - Sept. 4 and was chosen out of a pool of conference player of the week selections among 24 conference/independent/unaffiliated groupings.

Markovic led Texas at Brownsville, ranked No. 4 in the Tachikara-NAIA Volleyball Coaches’ Preseason Top 25 Poll, to a 4-0 record at the Quality Inn Classic, hosted by Columbia (Mo.) Sept. 2 - 3. She notched 15 kills and six digs in Texas at Brownsville’s 3-1 victory over No. 2 Columbia on Sept. 2. In total, Markovic posted 53 kills, 28 digs and a .383 attack percentage in the Scorpions four matches. For her efforts, she was named the event’s Most Valuable Player.

Markovic, a 5-11 sophomore from Subotica, Serbia, leads undefeated Texas at Brownsville (8-0) in kills with 94. She was a First-Team Tachikara-NAIA All-American last season as a freshman.

The next Player of the Week announcement will be on Sept. 13.

Nominees: Katie Flock, Viterbo (Wis.); Jodi Grandholm, Cornerstone (Mich.); Alyssa Schrag, Bethel (Kan.); Natalia Oliveira, Southern Nazarene (Okla.); Yiting Cao, Spring Hill (Ala.); Kaley Lyons, Evangel (Mo.); Emily Max, Doane (Neb.); Taylor Reuther, Xavier (La.); Andrea Taylor, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.); Lindsay Ibold, Asbury (Ky.); Karina Ramos, Union (Ky.); Jordan Holcomb, Embry-Riddle (Fla.); Vanessa Lawrenz, Park (Mo.); Thaise Vieira, Bethel (Tenn.); Allyse Cruise, Montana Tech; Lindsey Oberacker, Point Park (Pa.); Desiree Aramburu, Saint Xavier (Ill.); Tabitha Henken, Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.); Kate Denlinger, Indiana Wesleyan; Jordan Broady, Bellevue (Neb.).

2011 Composite Award Winners
Week 1: Danica Markovic, Texas at Brownsville