USC Women's Volleyball's Reese Messer Tabbed Big Ten Freshman of the Week

ROSEMONT, Ill. – USC women's volleyball freshman setter Reese Messer (Olathe, Kan./Saint James Academy) was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the week of Sept. 15-21, the Conference announced on Monday, Sept. 22.

It is the first-career award for Messer and the sixth all-time Big Ten weekly honor for a USC player. Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Leah Ford was named the league's Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 1. Last season—the Trojans' first as a member of the Big Ten—Mia Tuaniga was chosen for Setter of the Week laurels twice, OH Ally Batenhorst was named the Player of the Week once and OH Jadyn Livings earned the Freshman of the Week award once.

Messer led the Trojans to three wins—two over LSU and one against California—to help USC extend to a four-match win streak and complete nonconference play with a 9-1 record. In the first meeting with LSU, Messer put up 42 assists and had seven digs to go with four kills, three service aces, and four blocks to total 9.0 points. She returned to the floor the next day to record 40 assists, 10 digs, four blocks, two kills, and a service ace in a 3-0 sweep. Against the Golden Bears, Messer had 43 assists with 12 digs and racked up five blocks—three solo—and added one kill and one service ace.

In total, Messer had 40 or more assists in the three matches to average 11.36 assists per set and produced her third and fourth double-doubles this season. The 12 digs she picked up against Cal were a new career mark as were her five blocks.

Among other award winners, Wisconsin's Mimi Colyer was named the Player of the Week, the Badgers' Carter Booth was selected as the Defensive Player of the Week, and Charlie Fuerbringer—also from Wisconsin—was tabbed the Big Ten Setter of the Week.

The Trojans concluded the nonconference portion of their schedule with three wins to finish 9-1 and will cross the country to open Big Ten play this week. USC begins with a visit to Rec Hall in University Park, Pa., where it will face defending NCAA champion No. 13 Penn State (6-4) on Friday (Sept. 26) at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT). The Trojans then head to Columbus, Ohio, to take on Ohio State (3-5) at Covelli Center on Saturday (Sept. 27) at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT). Both matches will be shown live on Big Ten Plus streams.

For more information on the USC women's volleyball team, please visit USCTrojans.com/WVB. Fans of the Women of Troy can follow @USCWomensVolley on X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

USC BIG TEN VOLLEYBALL WEEKLY AWARDS

2024
Mia Tuaniga, Setter of the Week (Sept. 23)
Jadyn Livings, Freshman of the Week (Sept. 23)
Mia Tuaniga, Setter of the Week (Nov. 4)
Ally Batenhorst, Player of the Week (Nov. 4)

2025
Leah Ford, Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 1)
Reese Messer, Freshman of the Week (Sept. 22)

USC Women's Volleyball's Reese Messer Tabbed Big Ten Freshman of the Week

Players Mentioned

Ally Batenhorst

Leah Ford

Jadyn Livings

Reese Messer

Mia Tuaniga

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University Southern California Trojans