Madeleine GatesMadeleine Gates

Sophomore Madeleine Gates had 13 blocks in two Bruin victories last week.

Gates Named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week

Women's Volleyball

Gates earned the first Pac-12 Conference weekly honor of her career on Monday.


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SAN FRANCISCO - Sophomore Madeleine Gates was named Pac-12 Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, recording 13 blocks to go with 24 kills in two Bruin victories last week. It is the first weekly league honor in Gates' career.

Gates, who is tops on the team with 12 matches of at least five blocks, did it twice last week, posting eight against Arizona last Friday and five versus Arizona State on Saturday. Three of her 13 blocks were of the solo variety. Offensively, Gates had 13 kills against the Wildcats, producing a .478 hitting percentage, while adding 11 versus the Sun Devils with a .476 clip. 

Gates, the team leader in blocks per set (1.22) and hitting percentage (.337), is the third Bruin to win Pac-12 weekly honors this season. UCLA has won four overall awards, with Mac May being named Freshman of the Week on Aug. 28 and Sept. 25 and junior Zana Muno picking up Defensive POW honors on Aug. 28. The Bruins have won 10 Pac-12 DPOW plaudits since the award was implemented in 2011.