Goncalves, Phelan Earn Big Ten Weekly Awards
September 28, 2026 | Volleyball
NEWS
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Fighting Illini senior setter Kenna Phelan and sophomore libero/defensive specialist Talita Goncalves were both honored with Big Ten weekly awards following the opening week of conference play, the conference office announced on Monday.
Phelan was named Big Ten Setter of the Week for the first time this season and for the second time in her career, while Goncalves was tabbed with Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors for the first time. The Illini duo received the recognition following Illinois' ranked wins over #15 Minnesota on Sept. 24 and #23 USC on Sept. 26.
Across the two matches, Phelan averaged 10.43 assists/set, 2.71 digs/set, and 0.57 kills/set while leading the Orange and Blue offense to a .266 hitting percentage, which ranked fifth in the conference this week.
Phelan started the week with a double-double against the Golden Gophers, recording 37 assists, 10 digs, two kills, and a block in the four-set win while playing all six rotations. Against the Women of Troy on Saturday, Phelan guided Illinois to a .301 hitting percentage while collecting 36 assists, nine digs, two kills, and an ace.
Goncalves served as the Illini's lone libero during the two matches and helped limit Illinois' two opponents to a .219 hitting percentage. She averaged 4.57 digs/set and 0.86 assists/set in seven sets of action.
She started the week with a team-high 19 digs against Minnesota while adding three assists and an ace. Two days later against the Trojans, Goncalves tallied 13 digs, three assists, and an ace to go alongside a perfect 1.000 reception percentage on 13 total attempts.
Phelan last captured Big Ten Setter of the Week honors on Sept. 29, 2025, while Goncalves is the Illini's first Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week since 2021.
This marks the first time two Fighting Illini players have been recognized with Big Ten weekly awards in the same week since Oct. 7, 2019, when Diana Brown (Freshman of the Week) and Ashlyn Fleming (Defensive Player of the Week) were both honored.
Illinois continues Big Ten play this weekend with a trip to the Pacific Northwest. The Fighting Illini will take on #22 Washington on Friday at 9 p.m. CT on B1G+ before taking on #17 Oregon on Sunday at 3 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network.
