OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - Martina Ligabue and Fernanda Perini were named Heart of America Athletic Conference Setter and Defender of the Week, and Ligabue the NAIA Setter of the Week, after boosting No. 11 Missouri Baptist women's volleyball to four ranked wins at the Midland Showdown. 

Ligabue, the freshman setter from Italy, displayed elite passing placement in just her second week wearing a Spartan uniform. Over five contests, Ligabue recorded a total of 246 assists, averaging 11.71 across the 21 sets she appeared in. Her 60 assists against the No. 14 team in the NAIA, St. Thomas University, mark a high for the setter's young career. 

Beyond the passing, Ligabue notched 64 digs, enough for second on the team, eight service aces, and seven kills. Such a dominant performance for the Spartans' offensive leader earned Ligabue her first well-deserved honor at both the conference and national level. 

After a 2025 campaign that saw four Heart Defender of the Week nominations, the reigning Conference Defender of the Year, Fernanda Perini, earns her first nod of the season. A two-way star for Missouri Baptist, Perini deterred opposing attackers at the net all weekend long. She was able to block at least five attempts across the four team victories, peaking at seven apiece against No. 25 Viterbo and No. 12 Oklahoma Wesleyan for a total of 27 blocks. 

On offense, Perini was also the most reliable attacker for MBU. The middle went for a team-high 72 kills on a .320 hitting percentage. She totaled 86.5 points across five contests. 

Missouri Baptist women's volleyball will return to begin conference play on Sept. 11th in St. Louis against Central Methodist University.