PITMAN, NJ – Rutgers-Newark senior middle blocker Rachel Witt has been named the New Jersey Athletic Conference Women's Volleyball Player of the Week after leading the Scarlet Raiders to three straight victories to open the 2012 season.

NJAC WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK (Sept. 2, 2012)

The 5-foot-11 middle was named the MVP of the Kings Point Invitational after dominating performances in wins over USMMA (3-2), Farmingdale St. (3-1) and New Rochelle (3-0) that sparked the team's best start since 1995 when the Raiders won the first four matches.

Witt averaged 5.62 points and 4.25 kills per game while hitting .379 and leading all players in each match in points. 

In the season opening win over USMMA on Friday night, she posted career-highs of 31.5 points and 21 kills while adding six aces, 10 digs, two solo blocks and five assisted blocks to account for 58% of the Raiders' points.  She pounded down seven kills in the fifth game of the USMMA win.

On Saturday, she fueled wins over Farmingdale State and the College of New Rochelle by totaling 30 kills, four aces and a dozen digs while hitting .414 as the Raiders dropped just one set.

It's the second time that the two-time Honorable Mention All-NJAC performer has claimed the weekly honor.  She also was tabbed as the player of the week on September 19, 2010.

Rutgers-Newark travels to Ithaca College on Friday and Saturday to compete in the Bomber Invitational before returning to begin New Jersey Athletic Conference play in The Golden Dome against Ramapo on September 13.