One day removed from earning Big 12 Player of the Week, Tiger senior Paola Ampudia (Cali, Colombia) was named the Sports Imports/American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) National Player of the Week, as announced by the AVCA on Tuesday (Nov. 9). Ampudia is the fourth Tiger to win the award and is the first since Jessica Vander Kooi took home the award on Sept. 25, 2006. She is also the first player from the Big 12 to take home the award this season.

"I am very happy for Paola," head coach Wayne Kreklow said. "I think it speaks volumes to the type of athletes that we have in our program here at Mizzou. It think is also speaks a lot to the way that Paola has played in the second half of the season so far; her all-around game has come so far. It is also nice to see such a good person win this award."

"Obviously it is a great honor for me, but I think it speaks more to how well we are playing as a team right now," Ampudia said. "I just try and do my best every time we play and I do everything that I can to help our team win. I am happy that I received this award, but I am even happier that people are starting to take notice to how well we have been playing as a team."

Ampudia averaged 5.38 kills per set on .265 hitting last week while helping Mizzou to a pair of road wins over Colorado and No. 12 Iowa State. The Tiger senior began her week by posting 21 kills on .278 hitting with 14 digs at Colorado, good for her seventh double-double of the season. The 21 kills in the match also equaled her total from her previous two matches combined.

After a great performance at Colorado, Ampudia upped the ante at No. 12 Iowa State as she posted 22 kills in the match on .254 hitting to go along with 11 digs for her eighth double-double of the season. Her 22 kills were a key reason why the Tigers were able upset No. 12 Iowa State. In fact, the upset was the Tigers' first win over a top 15 team since 2006 and was also their first road win over a top 25 team since 2006.

The back-to-back 20-kill efforts mark the first time this season that Ampudia has done so, despite leading the team with 367 kills and five 20-kill performances this season. Her defense was also a key reason for the Player of the Week honor as she pulled in 3.12 digs per set while committing just one error on 32 service receptions.
Ampudia and the Tigers will look to extend their winning streak to five straight and seven of their last eight when they welcome Texas Tech (3-21, 1-14 Big 12) to the Hearnes Center on Wednesday. For all the latest on Mizzou volleyball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com.