Oct. 4, 2004

SAN BRUNO, Calif. - Freshman middle blocker Annalisa Muratore has been named the West Coast Conference Player of the Month for September. The Atwater native has been both an offensive and defense presence on the court this season.

Muratore leads the WCC and is ranked second nationally in hitting percentage, with a .470 clip, as she recorded 131 kills with only 23 errors in 230 attempts. She also leads the WCC and ranks 11th nationally in blocks per game with a 1.59 average. Her efforts have led the Broncos as a team to be ranked in the top five by the NCAA in blocks per game.

Muratore recorded a double-double in her collegiate debut against Sacramento State, posting 14 kills and 11 blocks. She earned MVP honors at the TCU adidas Invitational after leading Santa Clara to a 3-0 mark on the weekend. At the tournament, she totaled 43 kills, a 4.78 per game average, and committed only three errors in 60 attempts for a .667 hitting percentage. Defensively, she posted four solo blocks and 14 block assists for a 2.00 per game mark, earning her the league's Player of the Week recognition.

As a team, Santa Clara went 9-2 in September and ranked 13th nationally by the AVCA.

"The team has been passing and setting well, which has been instrumental in allowing Annalisa to perform to her strengths," head coach Jon Wallace said. "This is a huge honor for Annalisa and her teammates to receive such recognition from the WCC."

Wallace added, "We knew Annalisa had potential, but it's been the intangibles she's brought to the court that have allowed her to succeed. Her natural instincts as a blocker and a hitter have surprised everybody."

Santa Clara (11-2, 2-0) will travel on the road for its next three conference matches, starting at San Diego Saturday at 7 p.m.