CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (Sept. 15, 2014) - On Monday, freshman middle blocker Heather Ball (Gilbert, Ariz.) of the LIU Post volleyball team was selected as the East Coast Conference Rookie of the Week. The award is her first honor at the collegiate level.

Ball slammed down 30 kills, while hitting at a team-leading .324 clip, in the Pioneers' 3-1 swing at the Wheeling Jesuit Invitational in Wheeling, W. Va. She also provided 22 blocks over the weekend, averaging 1.38 per set.

The Gilbert native posted 12 of her kills (.611 attack percentage) and eight of her blocks in the tournament opener, a 3-1 win against Le Moyne. She followed that up with a seven-kill, five-block showing versus Shepherd, and a seven-kill, seven-block effort against Lock Haven.

Through eight matches this season, Ball's 27 block assists are tops in the ECC, and 29 total blocks rank second. Her 12 service aces and .279 hitting percentage are sixth- and 10th-best amongst the league's statistical leaders, respectively.

Ball and the Pioneers are back in action Tuesday (Sept. 16), when they kick off East Coast Conference play against New York Institute of Technology at the Pratt Recreation Center in Brookville, N.Y. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.