Sept. 16, 2002

Cleveland State outside hitter Michelle Iafigliola (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor) has been named the Horizon League Volleyball Athlete of the Week for the period ending September 15, the league office announced today.

No stranger to all-tournament teams, Iafigliola earned her first tournament MVP honor after leading the Vikings to a 4-0 mark at the Medical Mutual CSU Volleyball Invitational, averaging 5.00 kills, 3.86 digs, 0.64 blocks and 0.43 service aces in 14 games. She also recorded a .329 hitting percentage.

In the championship game Saturday night against Marshall, Iafigliola saved her best for last, recording her sixth double-double of the season with 23 kills and 18 digs while registering a .380 hitting percentage to lead CSU to its first tournament title since 1992. She also equaled a career-high with five total blocks against the Thundering Herd.

The 5-10 outside hitter also had double-doubles in victories over Tennessee Tech (21 kills, 14 digs to go along with four service aces) and Elon (13 kills, 14 digs). In addition, she fired off another 13 kills in the tournament's opening match, a 3-0 sweep of St. Francis University.

For the season, Iafigliola ranks among the Horizon League leader in four of six categories, including a league-leading 4.75 kills per game. She is also second in service aces per game (0.56), seventh in digs per game (3.28) and eighth in hitting percentage (.291, 171K-59E-385TA).

Cleveland State, off to its best start since 1992 at 7-3, will be looking to match that squad's 8-3 start and six-match winning streak Tuesday when the Vikings travel to Rochester, Mich. to play Oakland University at 7 p.m.