After leading LOVB Salt Lake to two victories and solidifying the team’s spot atop the League One Volleyball standings, Serena Gray and Manami Kojima have been named LOVB Players of the Week.
Offensive Player of the Week: Serena Gray, Middle Blocker, LOVB Salt Lake
Serena scored 26 points – 22 kills and four blocks – during Salt Lake’s wins against LOVB Madison and LOVB Nebraska last week, hitting .500 or better in each match. The Temple City, California, native hit an astounding .636 in transition last week, even higher than her week-long hitting efficiency of .529.
Despite missing three matches due to injury, Serena leads the league in attack efficiency this year (.620) and has made just one hitting error in 79 attempts. She also leads the league in serving – opponents are passing just 22.2% of Serena’s serves in system – and is among the top six in points per set and kills per set.
This is already Serena’s second Player of the Week award this year. She won after more blistering attack efficiency during week one.
Defensive Player of the Week: Manami Kojima, Libero, LOVB Salt Lake
Manami was once again everywhere in defense for Salt Lake, making 28 digs – 3.5 per set – on a .800 dig percentage. She also posted a dig-to-create of 66%, meaning Salt Lake was able to make attacks after two-thirds of Manami’s digs.
The Miyagi, Japan, native also posted a .667 good pass percentage on 35 attempts.
LOVB’s reigning Libero of the Year, Manami leads the league in digs (110), good pass percentage (.688) and pass efficiency (2.86). This is her third overall Defensive Player of the Week award, having earned the honor twice in 2025.
League One Volleyball returns on Wednesday, February 11 when LOVB Houston hosts LOVB Nebraska. All six teams will also compete at the LOVB Classic in Kansas City, Missouri, this weekend. Serena, Manami and LOVB Salt Lake begin Classic festivities with a match against LOVB Austin on Friday, February 13 at 6:30 p.m. Central/5:30 p.m. Mountain.
Previous LOVB Players of the Week
Offensive Player of the Week
- February 2: Jordan Thompson, Opposite Hitter, LOVB Houston
- January 26: Jordyn Poulter, Setter, LOVB Salt Lake
- January 19: Callie Schwarzenbach, Middle Blocker, LOVB Madison
- January 12: Serena Gray, Middle Blocker, LOVB Salt Lake
Defensive Player of the Week
- February 2: Ana Carolina da Silva, Middle Blocker, LOVB Nebraska
- January 26: Jordyn Poulter, Setter, LOVB Salt Lake
- January 19: Gong Xiangyu, Opposite Hitter, LOVB Madison
- January 12: Kotoe Inoue, Libero, LOVB Austin
