LEXINGTON, Ky. ? Senior middle blocker Nicole Britenriker has been named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Week. This is the first such honor for Britenriker and the first SEC honor for the Wildcats this season.

Britenriker won Most Valuable Player honors for the second straight year at the 2007 Kentucky Classic this weekend as she led the Cats to a 3-0 record and a tournament championship. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native tallied 39 kills during the three-game span on .532 hitting to lead the Cats. She had a match-high 11 kills on .500 hitting with six digs and six blocks in the win over Georgetown and the senior captain followed that with a match-high 15 kills on .571 hitting to go along with nine digs and an ace in the sweep of Austin Peay. Britenriker added a match-best 13 kills on .522 hitting in the win over Cleveland State. She added 11 digs and four blocks in that victory. Her double-double against Cleveland State was her team-leading fourth of the season.

The Wildcats also defeated Western Kentucky on the road this week. Britenriker had her third double-double of the year in that win with a match-high 14 kills and a new career-high 12 blocks. She was one dig shy of a triple-double but ended the match with nine scoops and three service aces which tied her career-high.

Britenriker is tops on the team with 97 kills for 4.04 per game. She also leads the Cats with 38 total blocks (1.58 per game) and 124 points (5.17 per game), while she is second on the team with 69 digs for an average of 2.88 per game.

Britenriker and the Cats return to action tonight, Sept. 4, when they host Eastern Kentucky at 7 p.m. in Memorial Coliseum.