Player of the Week: October 11, 2021

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.

Fall Week #4: Darina Kumanova

University of the Pacific.

West Coast Conference.

NCAA Division I.

Sophomore. 6'0" Outside Hitter.

Reported by AVSR Global to coaches in 2019.

Home: Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

See Kumanova’s bio at the Pacific website.

Last Week:

• Kumanova scored the match-winning kill in Pacific’s biggest victory since 2014. The Tigers upset No. 23-ranked Pepperdine 3-2.
• Kumanova totaled 12 kills and 13 digs against Pepperdine and was best in the fifth set. She’s been a six-rotation mainstay for Pacific all season.
• Pacific last defeated a nationally-ranked team in September 2014, when the Tigers beat No. 21 Loyola Marymount 3-2.
• Kumanova transferred to Pacific this year after a stellar freshman season at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County.
• At UMBC Kumanova led the Retrievers to their first America East Conference title and the team’s best season since 1998.
• Kumanova was named America East Rookie of the Year and Most Outstanding Player of the league’s championship tourney.
• In Bulgaria Kumanova competed for CSKA Sofia, a multi-sport club founded in 1948. She trained with Bulgaria’s junior national team.

Excerpt from 2019 AVSR Global report:

“Expert passer-hitter ready to play six rotations as a freshman starter in mid-Division I. … Master of shots and angles. … Defensive reads and skills are excellent. … Savvy, stable veteran of elite club teams.”