CHICAGO, Ill. - Olivet Nazarene University's Tyler Van Laten played a pivotal role in his team's successful week and was rewarded with Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) Defender of the Week honors, the league office announced Tuesday.

Van Laten, a sophomore defensive specialist from Elmhurst, Ill., anchored the Tigers' back row during a pair of conference victories, consistently delivering standout performances on defense. He recorded no fewer than 18 digs in each match last week.

In a straight-set win over Judson University on Thursday, Van Laten averaged an impressive 6.0 digs per set, setting the tone defensively. He followed that effort with 19 digs across four sets in a 3-1 victory against Viterbo University on Saturday. For the week, he averaged 5.29 digs per set, a mark that ranked among the conference's best and proved critical in Olivet Nazarene's 2-1 week.

Behind Van Laten's steady play, Olivet Nazarene improved to 6-5 in CCAC action and 12-13 overall, climbing above the .500 mark in league play as the season enters its final stretch.

--ONU--