SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. -- Shippensburg University senior right side Kaitlyn Townsend was named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Defensive Athlete of the Week on Monday afternoon by the league office.
 
Townsend guided a Shippensburg defense that went 2-1 this week to pick up another pair of conference wins, recording at least four blocks in each match to finish with 15 total.
 
Starting Tuesday, in a non-conference loss to Pitt-Johnstown, Townsend posted four blocks in four sets played. In a win at West Chester on Friday, her five blocks (two solo) contributed to Shippensburg's best performance at the net this season as it combined for 11 total blocks as a team. At Millersville on Saturday, Townsend closed the week with a season high of six blocks and matched a season high of three solo blocks.
 
The Johnstown native has now amassed the eighth-most blocks in the conference this season with 80 total, as well as the fourth-most solo blocks with 21.
 
In 12 sets played, Townsend additionally gave a strong offensive performance of 27 kills on an efficient .407 hitting percentage.
 
This marks the second PSAC weekly award of Townsend's career, having previously won the defensive honor earlier this season on Sep. 25 for a seven-block performance through two matches. As a team, this marks SU's fifth Defensive Athlete of the Week award in 2023.