South Dakota State libero Shay Birath earns her second straight Summit League Defensive Player of the Week award, the second of her career, after helping the Jackrabbits upset rival North Dakota State Saturday night.

"I love coaching Shay. She's a hard-nosed player who's motivated and determined to get better every day," SDSU head coach Nanabah Allison-Brewer said. "She told me a few weeks ago at Southern Utah that she would set her career-high and get past the 26-dig mark, and she ended up getting 34 that night. Her commitment to this team got her those digs that night she keeps right on rolling."

A sophomore from Marshall, Minn., Birath started off the week in non-league action against South Dakota by recording 28 digs, an average of 5.6 per set and then tallied 24 digs averaging 6.0 per set in the 3-1 win over the Bison. On the week, she recorded two matches of 20-plus digs, totaling 52 digs, an average of 5.78 per set.

Birath currently ranks second in The Summit League with 4.91 digs per league set and fourth overall with 4.58 digs per set.

The Jackrabbit volleyball team returns to action on Thursday, when they host Oral Roberts in a crucial Summit League match at 7 p.m., in Frost Arena on Military Appreciation Night.