WINTHROP, Mass. - After averaging over two digs per set during the past week, including back-to-back double digit efforts in Saturday's tri-match, graduate student Orlando Plagata (Los Angeles, Calif.) has been named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men's Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week, announced Monday, March 18, by the league office.

Plagata started the week with six digs and two assists against top ranked Wentworth last Wednesday, plus he kept the ball in play twice off Leopard blocking attempts. In Friday's victory at Wilkes, he earned four digs and received serve 24 times without making an error.

In Saturday's tri-match at King's College, Plagata finished with 11 digs against Stevenson and 16 digs, his second-highest total in a match this season, against the host Monarchs. Against King's College, he also dished out three assists and made just one reception error in 40 serve receive chances.

This is Plagata's second GNAC Defensive Player of the Week honor this season, as he was previously selected Jan. 29 after averaging 2.8 digs per set during a tri-match against Dean and Eastern Nazarene. For the season, he is currently second in the GNAC in total digs with 158 and third in digs per set at 2.55.

Regis College (9-12, 4-3 GNAC) will face conference opponents for the rest of the regular season, starting with a home match against Lasell University Tuesday, March 19, starting at 7 p.m.