COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou volleyball’s Ainoah Cruz (Arecibo, Puerto Rico) was named  Southeastern Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Week after a weekend where she notched 43 digs and had a .956 reception percentage across eight sets against the sixth- and seventh-ranked teams in the nation.

On Sunday versus No. 6 Tennessee, she totaled 29 digs across five sets, good for a 5.8 per set mark. Her 29 digs were one off her season-high of 30 set on Sept. 18 against Dayton.

Cruz’s 5.38 digs per set led the SEC last week, as she was the only athlete to crack the 5.00 mark, while her 43 digs total also paced the conference.

On the season, she ranks second in the SEC with 4.49 digs per set, a figure that would place her eighth all-time in a single season in program history. Her 391 total digs are the most in the SEC and rank 46th nationally.

Cruz and the Tigers are back in action on Friday, Nov. 6 against the No. 13 Texas Longhorns at 7 p.m. CST at Hearnes Center. The match will be streamed on SEC Network+.

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