Minnesota volleyball made their first home weekend one to remember. Following three sweeps in the Diet Coke Classic, two Gophers were given Big Ten honors and the team has slipped back into national rankings.

Freshman Samantha Seliger-Swenson earned her second Big Ten award, Co-Freshman of the Week after playing in all nine sets of the Diet Coke Classic. Seliger-Swenson averaged 12.56 assists per set and had five service aces on the weekend.

Seliger-Swenson was given the Big Ten Setter and Rookie of the Week titles following Minnesota’s appearance at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

Daly Santana was named Co-Big Ten Player of the Week after a 41-kill weekend in the Diet Coke Classic, averaging 4.6 kills per set. This is Santana’s first Player of the Week honor. Minnesota’s last player of the week honor came in September of 2014.

Santana is currently leading the Gophers in kills with 122, and service aces with 9, per gophersports.com.

Minnesota has also jumped back into national standing after they were ranked 23rd in this week’s American Volleyball Coaches Association poll.  This follows a long drought of the Gophers being unranked since Oct. 27, 2014.

The Gophers close out their non-conference slate this weekend at the Charleston Invite where they’ll face Bryant University (7-5), Sam Houston (5-6) and the College of Charleston (6-5).