CHICAGO (September 20, 2021) – Loyola University Chicago junior Taylor Venuto (Whitmore Lake, Mich./Dexter) has been selected as the Missouri Valley Conference Women's Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week it was announced this afternoon by the league office. This is the first time in her career that the 6-foot-1 middle hitter has earned the award.
 
Venuto had another huge showing, earning All-Tournament Team recognition at the Chicago Cup hosted by Northwestern over the weekend. The junior middle hitter, who was named MVP of the Rambler Challenge two weeks ago, averaged 3.11 kills and 1.56 blocks per set, while hitting a scorching .423 (28-6-52), in three matches at the Chicago Cup. 
 
After blasting 11 kills and hitting .381 (11-3-21) in a loss to DePaul on September 17, Venuto ripped eight kills and posted 12 blocks, tying for the fourth-highest, single-match total in program history, in a three-set sweep of UIC one day later. Venuto concluded the tournament with nine kills, while hitting .500 (9-12-14), versus Northwestern. 
 
Last season, Venuto topped The Valley with 1.19 blocks per set and she turned away 10 Bears attack attempts, then a career high, in Loyola's MVC Championship quarterfinal victory over Missouri State on April 1, 2021.
 
For the season, she is hitting at a .393 clip (122-32-229) with 2.84 kills and 0.93 blocks per set and her .393 hitting percentage ranks second in the MVC.