AIKEN, S.C.--Rachel Dalitz has been named the Peach Belt Conference Volleyball Specialist of the Week, the conference office announced Monday afternoon. Dalitz becomes USC Aiken’s first ever recipient of the newly created award designed to recognize setters, liberos, and defensive specialists.

“Rachel has been playing well for us all year. We would not have the hitting percentage we do as a team without her,” said fifth-year head coach Will Condon. “She’s done a good job of managing three freshmen hitters as well as moving Jenny [Lloyd] around.”

The 5-9 junior from Orange, Calif. averaged 13.23 assists per game in leading the Lady Pacers to three wins in four matches this week including a pair of key conference wins. Dalitz tallied in excess of 40 assists in each match while the team hit .307 for the week. Dalitz is currently second in the Peach Belt Conference in assists per game at 12.07 while USCA is second in hitting percentage at .263.

Dalitz had 42 assists to go with two kills, three digs, two blocks, and one ace in a 3-0 blanking of Lander on Friday night. On Saturday, she tallied 43 assists, 10 digs, four aces, three kills, and one block as the Lady Pacers rolled to a 3-0 win over rival USC Upstate (formerly USC Spartanburg) to move within one-half game of third place in the conference standings.

“Rachel’s been a complete player for us, really stepping up her defense and blocking, attacking when she needs to and getting big aces for us in key times,” said Condon.

In a 3-1 loss to the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras (18-1), Dalitz hit .667 with four kills, two blocks, and two aces to go with 43 assists. She collected 44 assists and 12 digs in a 3-0 road win at Newberry.

With 3,295 career assists, Dalitz ranks third on the school’s all-time list and eighth in Peach Belt Conference history.

USC Aiken has had two Player of the Week selections this season, both earned by senior captain Jenny Lloyd on September 7 and October 11. With the Specialist of the Week selection, USCA has had 23 weekly conference honors in the program’s 14-year NCAA history including 12 under Condon.