Penn State women’s volleyball star Kennedy Martin was named the Big Ten Player of the Week, the conference announced on Monday.

Martin has been a bright spot for the Nittany Lions in a tumultuous start to the defending National Champions’ 2025 season. In a win over USC, Martin hit .292 with 29 kills, 13 digs, five blocks, and two aces in a five-set thriller on Friday at Rec Hall.

The Florida transfer hit an impressive .348 hitting percentage and averaged seven kills a set over the two matches the Nittany Lions had last week. The blue and white went 1-1 on the week against USC and UCLA.

Martin had a career-high 34 kills in the four-set loss to the Bruins on Sunday. The mark was the most by a Nittany Lion in a match since 1995. It’s the second time the Fort Mill, South Carolina native has won Big Ten Player of the Week honors this season.

About the Author

CJ Gill

CJ was a broadcast journalism student at Penn State from 2022-26 and was the sports editor at Onward State. He's a huge Phillies and Steelers fan, which is odd. He's probably drinking a beer with his friends and watching Penn State football right now. You can email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @CJGill14.

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