Gorana Maricic, a junior outside hitter for then-No. 20
University of Oregon, has been named this week's Sports Imports/AVCA
Division I National Player of the Week. Maricic led the Ducks to two
historic wins last week, over top-10 opponents Southern California and
UCLA. In Thursday’s 3-1 upset over then-No. 6 USC, Maricic landed 29 kills
on 55 attempts with only five errors, for a .436 hitting percentage. She
added 14 digs, one ace and one block in the win, helping Oregon end a
34-match losing streak against the Women of Troy. The following night in
the sweep of the Bruins, who were ranked No. 9 at the time, Maricic tallied
25 more kills on 55 attempts with seven errors, for a .327 hitting
percentage. The junior’s 12 digs marked her 10th double-double for the
Ducks, who, with the win, snapped a 40-match losing streak against UCLA
dating back to 1987. Maricic hit a combined .382 against the two top-10
foes, averaging 7.71 kills and 3.71 digs per game. This honor marks the
first time a player from Oregon has won the Sports Imports/AVCA Division I
National Player of the Week award. The Ducks are coached by Jim Moore.
