Tusculum’s Raterman, Dean Named Volleyball Players Of The Week

ROCK HILL, S.C. ­- Tusculum College middle blocker Alyssa Raterman has been named the Volleyball Player of the Week, while Tuscullum libero Caitlyn Dean has been named Volleyball Specialist of the Week, the league announced Monday.

Raterman, a sophomore from Urbana, Ohio (Urbana HS) averaged 3.69 kills per set and posted a .479 hitting percentage to lead the Tusculum Pioneers to a perfect 3-0 record last week in South Atlantic Conference play. Raterman opened the week hitting .567 with 17 kills on 30 attacks with no errors in TC's 3-1 win over 2009 NCAA Tournament participant Lincoln Memorial. She followed that effort hitting .371 (15-2-35) in TC's four-set triumph at Newberry. Raterman tallied seven digs and a pair of blocks in the victory over the Wolves. In Tusculum's five-set marathon win at Anderson, Raterman posted her second .500 attack percentage performance of the week, hitting .517 with 16 kills. The win was the 700th victory in program history. Raterman committed only three errors in her 94 attempts on the week to go along with her 48 kills.

Alyssa Raterman	Caitlyn Dean

Dean, a freshman from Ft. Wayne, Ind. (Northrop HS) averaged 9.08 digs per set. She wins this award for the second time this season. Dean recorded 30-plus digs in all three matches and seven times this year. In Tusculum's 3-1 win over Lincoln Memorial, Dean posted a match-high 34 digs as well as three service aces. She followed that effort with a school-record 46 digs in the Pioneers' four-set victory at Newberry. In the victory, she tallied four assists and a service ace. Dean wrapped up the week with 38 digs in the Pioneers' five-set marathon win at Anderson. She is currently second in the nation (NCAA II) in digs, averaging 7.44 per set.