RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The Southland Conference (SLC) announced the weekly volleyball awards Monday and The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) saw junior outside hitter Nadine Zech earn SLC Offensive Player of the Week while junior Isabella Costantini was tabbed the SLC Setter of the Week Honorable Mention. 
 
Zech was explosive leading UTRGV (10-7, 5-1 SLC) on the road as the Vaqueros handed Incarnate Word and Houston Christian University their first conference losses of the season. She scored 5.78 points per set as she averaged 5.14 kills per set, totaling 36 kills on an efficient .355 hitting. 
 
The junior from Italy recorded back-to-back double-doubles. She had 15 kills on .381 hitting with 15 digs Thursday in the sweep of UIW, then followed that performance with a career-high 21 kills on .333 hitting with 13 digs in a comeback win at HCU. Zech averaged 4.00 digs per set while recording four blocks and two aces, scoring in a variety of ways to improve UTRGV's winning streak to four matches. 
 
Costantini continues to be a do-it-all setter and has UTRGV leading the SLC in hitting percentage. Last week, she dished out a whopping 12.28 assists per set (86 total) and had UTRGV hitting .309 during the 2-0 week. She recorded 29 assists, nine digs, a career-high four blocks and two kills in a sweep at UIW, contributing to a defensive effort that held the Cardinals to .183 hitting. She had 47 assists, seven digs, a season-high tying five kills and two aces at HCU.
 
The Vaqueros are back at the UTRGV Fieldhouse for a pair of matches this week, starting with a 6:30 p.m. first serve Thursday against Southeastern. 
 
UTRGV Volleyball's 2025 SLC Weekly Awards 
Celianiz Cabranes, SLC Defensive Player of the Week, Sept. 1 
Martina Franco, SLC Offensive Player of the Week Honorable Mention, Sept. 1
Celianiz Cabranes, SLC Defensive Player of the Week Honorable Mention, Sept. 15
Isabella Costantini, SLC Setter of the Week, Sept. 22
Aaliyah Snead, SLC Offensive Player of the Week Honorable Mention, Sept. 22
Nadine Zech, SLC Offensive Player of the Week, Oct. 13
Isabella Costantini, SLC Setter of the Week Honorable Mention, Oct. 13

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