WINNIPEG – After a weekend that saw her surpass two Canada West season records, Bison women’s volleyball fifth-year libero Cassie Bujan has been named the conference’s Female Third Star of the Week.

On the road against the No. 5 ranked Trinity Western Spartans, Bujan racked up a total of 47 digs in two matches. The Bisons earned an important split in those matches, notably coming back from down 2-0 to beat the Spartans on Friday, Feb. 15 to bolster their playoff chances.

The 47 digs brought Bujan’s season total to 448, which sets a new Canada West record for digs in a season, previously set by Regina’s Taylor Ungar in 2017-18 (426).

Bujan also set a new conference record for digs per set (4.87) this season, breaking a 12-year-old record set by Spartans alumna Julie Blackburn in 2006-07 (4.703).

In Friday’s comeback, Bujan had a match-high 25 digs, also recording a kill in the win, making multiple critical plays against the Spartans’ big hitters to keep rallies alive for the Bisons.

In Saturday’s four-set loss to Trinity Western, Bujan had 22 more digs.

Bujan, a student in the Faculty of Science, finishes her regular season career with 1,332 digs — the second-most ever for a women’s volleyball player in Canada West. Manitoba has qualified for the post-season, and will face the No. 3 ranked Calgary Dinos in the quarterfinals beginning Feb. 21.

This is the fifth time that a Manitoba athlete has been named as a 2018-19 Canada West weekly honours recipient (Kevin Negus – Third – Oct. 28; Jordyn Zacharias – Second – Nov. 12; Kelsey Wog – First – Nov. 26; Lauryn Keen – First – Dec. 3).

JOHN GAUDES, BISON SPORTS

PHOTO CREDIT – TREVOR HAGAN, BISON SPORTS