West Liberty, W.Va. - Freshman middle blocker Julia Birck turned in a standout two-match performance to earn this week's Hilltopper of the Week honors.

The 6-foot Cincinnati, Ohio, native helped West Liberty close its nonconference schedule at Ohio Dominican before playing a key role in the Hilltoppers' 3-1 victory over Charleston on Friday in the Mountain East Conference opener.

Birck opened the week with a career-best 12 kills while hitting an impressive .391 in West Liberty's four-set match at Ohio Dominican. She also contributed three blocks as the Hilltoppers battled the Panthers through four competitive sets.

She followed that performance with another strong showing against Charleston, recording 10 kills on 21 attacks with just four errors for a .286 hitting percentage. Birck was particularly effective at the net, finishing with five blocks, including four solo blocks, as West Liberty limited the Golden Eagles to a .096 team hitting percentage.

For the two-match stretch, Birck averaged 2.75 kills and 1.00 block per set, finishing with 22 kills, eight total blocks and a .341 hitting percentage across eight sets.

Her performance against Charleston helped West Liberty earn its first MEC victory of the season. The Hilltoppers finished with a 59-34 advantage in kills and a 74-67 edge in digs while holding Charleston to a .096 hitting percentage.

Birck is currently among West Liberty's leading offensive and defensive performers in her freshman season, with 79 kills and a team-high 38 total blocks through 51 sets entering Tuesday's match at Davis & Elkins.

West Liberty, now 2-13 overall and 1-0 in MEC play, continues conference action Tuesday at Davis & Elkins. First serve is set for 7 p.m. in Elkins.


West Liberty University blends a small-town environment with a comprehensive college experience, fostering students' aspirations through hands-on learning, personalized support, and unique academic programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Learn more at westliberty.edu.