PacWest Release

Phoenix, AZ -- Continuing her strong play to begin her Academy of Art volleyball career, freshman Melissa Brum added another feather to her cap, earning her second PacWest Freshman of the Week award of the season. Setter Rachael Smith also reached the PacWest Volleyball Final 5 for her three-game performance. The conference office announced the honors on Nov. 13 for matches played Nov. 4-10.

Brum led the Urban Knights to a 2-1 week by averaging 4.41 points per set over 11 sets, which ranked  fifth in the PacWest. She amassed 48.5 points on 41 kills, including a season-high 24 kills against Notre Dame de Namur on Saturday. She also notched three service aces, two block solos and five block assists over the three matches. Brum hit .300 for the week (15th) after recording 41 kills on 100 chances.

The Stockton, CA native now sits on the precipice of 300 kills for the year (298), and would join fellow freshman Emily Papale to give the Knights two hitters over the 300-kill plateau, which would mark the first time in ART U history that they have had two on the same team. She ranks second on the team in kills per game, second in total kills, fourth in total blocks, and second in digs, and plays all around the floor in her first year at the collegiate level.

Smith averaged 11.09 assists per set, which ranked fifth in the PacWest in assist average for the week. She ranked second in total assists with 122 in 11 sets, and now has 1099 assists on the season, only the second ART U setter to pass the 1000-assist mark. Smith also has 70 kills and 45 total blocks on the year, and with her 10.67 assists per game is atop the all-time leaderboards for a single-season for Academy of Art.

The Knights will finish the season on Friday night against Dominican in San Rafael.