The Horizon League announced today that junior libero Brittany Malicoat (Elkhart, Ind./Memorial) has been named its Defensive Player of the Week for the week ending September 2.  Malicoat becomes the first Crusader in any sport to earn Horizon League weekly honors.

Malicoat kicked off the weekend with 15 digs and two service aces in Valpo’s sweep of Buffalo on August 31.  With her 11^th dig of the match, she registered her 1,000^th career dig, just three matches into her junior campaign.

Malicoat followed with 31 digs and five assists, helping Valpo to a tight five-game victory over Binghamton.  Her 31 digs was the third-best single-match effort of her career, and marked the fifth-most digs in a five-game match in Crusader history.  She ended the weekend with 10 digs in the Crusaders’ sweep of St. Francis (N.Y.).

The junior led all players in digs in all three matches, and has now led all players in digs in 12 consecutive contests.  In addition, Malicoat paced the Crusaders in digs for the 47^th straight match, dating back to November 4, 2005.  She has also reached double digits in digs in 23 straight matches.

On the week, Malicoat averaged 5.09 digs/game, and currently ranks third in the Horizon League with 5.39 digs/game on the season.  It was the third weekly league honor of her career, as she received one in each of her first two seasons from the Mid-Continent Conference.

Valparaiso (4-1) returns home this week to host the Popcorn Classic.  The Crusaders will host Marshall on Thursday, Indiana on Friday and Western Michigan on Saturday.  All matches are scheduled to start at 7 p.m.