Only one week into the season, the Illinois volleyball team is already beginning to make a splash in the Big Ten.

Illini senior outside hitter Rachel VanMeter was named the first Big Ten Player of the Week of the season on Monday, only two days after her record-setting 39 kills in a five-game win at Illinois State’s Redbird Arena on Friday.

“To win the Player of the Week is definitely flattering, but it’s not really a big deal,” VanMeter said. “Whenever anyone gets an award it’s really a reflection of the team, because my play is the reflection of my teammates.”

A Lexington, Ky., native, VanMeter was named an honorable mention All-Big Ten performer last year and was also named to the pre-season All-Big Ten first-team by the conference’s coaches earlier this month.

VanMeter’s 39 kills shattered the previous Redbird Arena record of 32, set in 1995, and was the third highest total in Illinois history.

Only Erin Borske has recorded more kills in a match as an Illini. Borske recorded 44 kills against Penn State on Sept. 23, 1995, and then added 41 more in a match against Minnesota two months later.

VanMeter also eclipsed the 1,000 career kills mark in the match – moving her career total to 1,029.

“That’s definitely nice” VanMeter said of the milestone, “Because that’s hard for all players to do. The left-side hitter, which is the position I play, takes double or triple of the swings that the middle and the right-side take. But I don’t know if that credits my ability or our offense.”

VanMeter and the Illini will return to action Friday night in the Northern Illinois Invitational at DeKalb.

VanMeter is anxious to play.

“I’m excited for the weekend because we have four matches in two days,” she said. “It’s going to [be] taxing on our players but I think that any chance we get to get experience out on the court is good.”