Southwestern University Pirates volleyball libero Ali Grona was named Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Defensive Player of the Week for matches played through Sunday, Sept. 22. 

The sophomore libero from Fredericksburg, Texas keyed the Southwestern defense through a 4-1 record last week, including 3-1 to open conference play on the road in Shreveport, La. Last week, Grona and the Pirate defense limited opponents to just a .119 hitting percentage. 

Grona finished with 79 digs for the week, averaging 4.65 digs per set. For the season, Grona has 225 digs, good for fifth in the SCAC with an average of 4.50 per set. The Pirates are 9-5 this season with matches against Concordia Texas and Our Lady of the Lake this week on Tuesday and Wednesday.