This week's (Oct. 11-18) Nixa's Guaranty Bank Athlete of the Week is junior outside hitter Gwen Kubik.

Kubik helped the Eagles capture first place in the Ozark Grand Slam, where Nixa finished 5-0 and defeated Greenwood, Ark., Lutheran, Springfield Catholic, Liberty, and Logan-Rogersville. 

She had a record-setting performance against Greenwood. The Eagles knocked off Greenwood 2-1 (25-10, 23-25, 25-10) and Kubik set a new single-match attack percentage of .700% with 15 kills and only one error on 20 attempts. This feat surpasses Jaycee Fixsen's previous record of .581% set in 2020.

During this span, she also helped Nixa win eight of its last nine regular-season games, totaling 88 kills, 42 digs, 12 aces, and six blocks. In addition to its five opponents, Nixa also bested Glendale, Springfield Central, and Neosho.

The Eagles concluded the regular season with a record of 30-3, which included a 23-game win streak from Sept. 14 to Oct. 12, and Kubik has been pivotal to the team's success throughout the entire season. She leads with 325 kills (3.4 per set) and is second in hitting percentage (.264%).

"Gwen has grown so much as a player and teammate this season. She has been a powerhouse on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Her contributions, hard work, skill, and sportsmanship have been instrumental in our team's success this season. It has been a joy to watch her gain confidence in herself as she continues to develop her skill set." said head coach Annie Zimmerman.

Kubik and the Eagles enter the Class 5 District 6 tournament as the No. 2 seed and await a match-up with No. 7 Willard on Oct. 23.