CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Following another impressive weekend of play that included helping lead the Fighting Illini volleyball team to an upset win over No. 7 Minnesota on Saturday night, senior libero Brandi Donnelly was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, the conference announced on Monday (November 20).

This is the third weekly honor Donnelly has received this season and second in the last three weeks after collecting accolades following her first week back following a month-long injury on November 6. It is the senior's sixth career conference defensive player of the week honor and the sixth the Illini have earned as a team this season.

The Williamsville, Ill., native totaled 50 digs from her libero position for an exceptional 6.25 digs per set average, while also registering 14 assists and just one reception error in 35 opportunities. Behind Donnelly's play, the Illini defense held their opponents to just a .239 hitting percentage.

Donnelly opened the weekend with a match-high 18 digs and four assists against No. 12 Wisconsin, before turning in one of the best performances of her career in the win over Minnesota as she collected her first double-double of her career with career-highs of 32 digs – her first-ever 30 dig outing – and 10 assists.

Donnelly and the Illini are set to wrap the regular season this season, hosting Iowa for Senior Night on Wednesday (November 22) at 7 p.m. CT in Huff Hall, before traveling to Columbus, Ohio, to take on Ohio State on Saturday (November 25) night at 6 p.m.

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