DALLAS - UTEP's Sara Pustahija earned Conference USA Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week honors announced by the league office Monday afternoon.   

CUSA Defensive Player of the Week – Sara Pustahija, UTEP – Sr. – OH – Belgrade, Serbia
Pustahija delivered a dominant two-way performance as UTEP closed the regular season with back-to-back sweeps over FIU to clinch the first Conference USA regular-season title in program history. Starting both matches and competing in all six sets, Pustahija was one of the most efficient attackers on the floor, tallying 18 kills with just one error while hitting .309. The senior outside hitter added two aces and was equally impactful defensively, posting seven blocks—including two solos—for a 1.17 blocks-per-set average, while also contributing nine digs. Her all-around production fueled UTEP's ability to hold FIU to a .203 hitting percentage. Pustahija finished the weekend with a team-high 24.5 points (4.08 per set), providing consequential contributions in every phase of the game.

Conference USA Release

UP NEXT: 2025 Conference USA Tournament

UTEP turns its attention to postseason play as FIU hosts the 2025 Conference USA Volleyball Tournament in Miami, Florida, November 21–23. The top-seeded Miners will open the tournament on Friday against No. 8 seed Missouri State at 10 a.m. MT / 12 p.m. ET. All matches will be streamed live on ESPN+.

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