For the first time in her young career, Case Western Reserve University sophomore middle hitter Natalie Southard has been selected as the University Athletic Association Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week.

The reigning UAA Rookie of the Year, Southard was named to the Marcia French Memorial All-Tournament Team on Saturday, Sept. 8, as the Spartans ran their season record to a perfect 8-0.

In four matches and 13 sets, Southard tallied 45 kills with just 10 errors in 88 attempts for a .398 hitting percentage. She also recorded 11 total blocks and recorded a career-high 20 kills in a victory versus John Carroll University on Friday.

For the season, Southard ranks second on the team with 67 kills and first with 17 total blocks. As a freshman in 2011, she finished 20th in the UAA regular season with 239 kills, sixth with a .320 hitting percentage and third with 106 blocks.

The Spartans (8-0) are off to the best start in program history and will travel east this weekend for the Allegheny Gator Invitational. The Spartans will play Allegheny College, Frostburg State University, Pennsylvania State College at Behrend, and Thiel College.