Mac Podraza Claims 15th Big Ten Setter Of The Week Honors

Posted on by Ethan Kasales

Penn State women’s volleyball fifth-year senior Mac Podraza was named the Big Ten Setter of the Week for the third time this season and 15th time of her career Monday afternoon.

It was the second week in a row the Sunbury, Ohio, native, has earned weekly conference recognition. Podraza was also named Big Ten Setter of the Week on October 2, sharing it with Nebraska freshman Bergen Reilly. Podraza surpassed 5,000 career assists in Penn State’s 3-1 win over Michigan State last Friday at Rec Hall and led the Nittany Lions to a sweep of Northwestern on senior night Saturday.

Podraza, Reilly, and Indiana’s Camryn Haworth are the top contenders for Big Ten Setter of the Year when the conference’s postseason awards and All-Big Ten teams are announced on Thursday, November 30. Reilly has been named Big Ten Setter of the Week four times this season, while Podraza and Haworth are tied for second with three honors apiece heading into the final week of the regular season.

Podraza, the reigning Big Ten Setter of the Year and a three-time AVCA All-American, combined for 84 assists, 10 digs, three kills, three total blocks, and one ace last weekend, helping the Nittany Lions improve to 19-8 on the season and 13-5 in conference play. Podraza shared weekly Big Ten recognition with Nebraska’s Lexi Rodriguez and Purdue’s Eva Hudson and Taylor Anderson.

Podraza sits at 5,042 career assists heading into No. 14 Penn State’s final two matches of the regular season this week against Maryland Wednesday in College Park and Ohio State, her undergrad alma mater, Friday in Columbus. Both matches are scheduled for 7 p.m. starts. Podraza will surely have scores of family and friends in attendance for her return to the Covelli Center.

“I’ve only been here for a short amount of time, but I think this is a place that I’ll come back to forever, and a place that I’ve called home and have started to appreciate as my home,” Podraza said of Penn State after Friday’s win over the Spartans.

“I think getting to be a part of this program and the legacy that it has, having my name follow the long list of talented Penn State volleyball players, I have chills just talking about it,” Podraza added. “It’s something that I do not take lightly and I will remember for the rest of my life. I’m really grateful for the opportunity and the people who provided it.”

Podraza, who played her club volleyball for Mintonette Sports and attended Big Walnut High School, is pursuing a grad certificate in business management foundations at Penn State. Podraza said she’s planning to play professional volleyball, hopefully in the United States, once her college career comes to a close. In the meantime, she’s focused on leading the Nittany Lions to their eighth NCAA national championship in program history.