Player of the Week: December 10, 2018

Each week of the spring and fall seasons, one player who was originally reported as a recruit by AVSR Global is named Player of the Week for an exceptional performance.

Week #16: Liene (Mellupe) Šimkuse

Florida Atlantic University

NCAA Division I. Graduated in 2015.

Current Team: SK Babīte (Latvia).

Reported to coaches by AVSR Global in 2010.

5'11" Outside Hitter.

Home: Riga, Latvia.

See Liene Šimkuse’s bio at the FAU website.

Last Week:

• Šimkuse powered SK Babīte to victories over its two top rivals in Latvia’s Nacionālā Līga, and Babīte widened its first-place lead.
• Šimkuse is the league’s top outside hitter. Babīte has a 7-1 record.
• At Florida Atlantic University, Šimkuse (Mellupe) lifted the Owls in 2013 and 2014 to their best two seasons since 2005.
• She started her American career at the College of Southern Idaho, where she won the 2012 junior college national championship.

Excerpt from 2010 AVSR Global report:

“A swift, powerful athlete and a dynamic, all-purpose player. … Recruitable as a setter, LH or RH. … Most experienced at RH and LH. She has great potential as a setter but would need development.”