The hot hitting of Santa Barbara volleyball player Alex Rottman and the all-around play of San Marcos lacrosse player Ellie Monson won them Athlete of the Week honors from the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table.
There was no luncheon Monday because of spring break at Santa Barbara schools. The awards will be formally given at next week’s SBART Press Luncheon at Harry’s Plaza Cafe.
Rottman, a senior outside hitter, helped power the Dons to two key Channel League wins last week that established them in first place with a 4-0 record.
On Tuesday, the Stanford-bound Rottman pounded balls from the net, the back row and service line for 17 kills and added four of Dons’ 10 aces in a sweep over Dos Pueblos. On Thursday, he upped the ante with 33 kills in a dramatic comeback 5-set win over San Marcos in a battle of league unbeatens.
Monson, a sophomore midfielder, hasn’t missed a beat in the transition to lacrosse after a Royals basketball season in which she was named Channel League Defensive Player of the Year.
Last week, she scored three goals in a 10-5 San Marcos upset of Orange Lutheran, the second-ranked team in CIF-SS Division 3. Two days later she added two goals and five assists in an 18-1 win over Nordhoff.
The historic San Marcos basketball season, which went two games deep into the state playoffs, had ended just six days before Monson scored four goals — including the golden goal game-winner in overtime — in a 10-9 win over Division 1 Oak Park on March 9.
The honorable mention choices this week include Ainslee Alexander (Carpinteria track and field), Kate Guerra (San Marcos softball), Laila Goodman (Santa Barbara track and field), Alessia Lala (San Marcos lacrosse), Grant Hughes (Dos Pueblos boys volleyball), Ryan Speshyock (Dos Pueblos baseball), Diesel Slade (Laguna Blanca boys volleyball), Braylon Katers (Bishop Diego boys volleyball).
The Athlete of the Week award is sponsored by the law firm of Maho-Prentice.
Coaches are encouraged to nominate deserving student athletes each week. Nominations should be sent to sports@noozhawk.com by Sunday at 10 a.m.
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