IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa junior middle hitter Hannah Whittingstall has been named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Monday.

The San Antonio, Texas, native totaled 15 blocks and averaged 1.67 blocks per set across Iowa’s wins over Michigan State and Rutgers. She led the Hawkeyes in blocks in both matches, picking up five against Michigan State and 10 against Rutgers.

Whittingstall recorded the first double-double of her career with 14 kills and matched her career high with 10 blocks in Iowa’s come-from-behind victory over Rutgers on Sunday. The 10 blocks helped lead Iowa to a season-high 16.5 blocks against the Scarlet Knights. She also contributed three digs over the weekend.

Rutgers was limited to a .220 hitting percentage, including .000 in the fifth set on Sunday, due in large part to Whittingstall’s presence at the net. Whittingstall’s weekend catapulted her to second in the Big Ten with 98 blocks and an average of 1.20 blocks per set.

She also hit a blistering .636 against the Scarlet Knights, converting on 14-of-22 swings without committing an error.

This is Iowa’s first defensive player of the week honor since 2013, when Bethany Yeager was recognized. It is also Iowa’s first weekly conference award of the season and first since Malu Garcia was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Sept. 30, 2024.

Iowa (12-10, 3-7 B1G) returns to action on Friday night at Northwestern. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. (CT) inside Welsh-Ryan Arena and will be streamed on B1G+ and the Hawkeye Radio Network.