Sept. 5, 2011

Park Ridge, Ill. - Illinois senior outside hitter Michelle Bartsch has been named the Big Ten Player of the Week. Bartsch earned MVP honors at the State Farm Illini Classic, her second such honor in as many weeks.

Bartsch became just the third Illinois player with a 20-20 performance since 2002 and the first in three seasons when she tallied 21 kills and 23 digs in a four-set victory over Tennessee on Friday night. It didn't take her long to repeat the feat, with 24 kills and 20 digs the following night in a thrilling five-set comeback win over No. 21 Dayton to help Illinois to its sixth straight State Farm Illini Classic title and 21st in the 28-year history of the event. Bartsch nearly made it three straight 20-20s with 19 kills and 16 digs in a four-set victory over Houston Saturday morning, despite being subbed for several rotations in the third set.

Bartsch ranks third in the Big Ten in kills per set (4.52) and tops the league in total kills at 104. She is also ninth in the league in digs per set (4.04).

Illinois is 6-0 on the season and plays at the Middle Tennessee Invitational this weekend, facing MTSU, Tulsa and Cal Poly.