Popovic Named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week

AMES, Iowa – After her outstanding performances leading the Iowa State defense last week at Texas Tech, Cyclone libero Marija Popovic has been named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week, the conference announced on Tuesday.

Popovic picked up her second Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week award of the season, and Iowa State's 60th since the inception of the award in 2007. The next highest total in the Big 12 is Baylor with 26.

The Belgrade, Serbia native had another strong weekend guiding the Iowa State back-line, making some history in the process. In Thursday's five-set victory, Popovic recorded a season-best 27 digs. She recorded at least three digs in each set, with a high of nine in the first set. She followed that up with 23 digs against the Red Raiders on Friday, an effort which included another nine-dig set in the fourth frame. Across the weekend, Popovic averaged a Big 12-best 5.56 digs per set, with her two efforts being the two highest dig totals by a Big 12 student-athlete on the weekend.

During Friday's match, Popovic reached 2,000 career digs across her collegiate career, becoming one of nine active Division I student-athletes to reach 2,000 digs across her career. During that time, she has had 101 matches with at least 10 digs (including all 17 as a Cyclone so far) and 45 matches with at least 20 digs (six so far as a Cyclone).

Popovic and the Cyclones are on a bye this weekend and will be back in action Thursday, Oct. 21 against No. 1 Texas inside Hilton Coliseum. First serve between the Cyclones and Longhorns will be at 6:30 p.m.