Player of the Week

Each week of the fall season, one player who was originally reported as an international recruit by AVSR Global is named Player of the Week, noting an exceptional performance.

October 12, 2026: Iva Popović

Pepperdine University.

West Coast Conference.

NCAA Division I.

5'11" Outside Hitter. Grad student.

Reported by AVSR Global in 2020.

Home: Leposavić, Kosovo.

See her bio at the Pepperdine site.

Last Week’s Action:

• Popović jumped to the top of the West Coast Conference in serving, firing nine aces with only three errors in a pair of sweeps.
• Pepperdine blanked San Diego and Denver, both on the road. Popović is averaging 0.92 aces per set this season, best in the WCC by far.
• The Waves are in second place of the WCC at 5-1, 13-4 overall.
• Popović returned to competition in September a year after a leg injury sidelined her in the first set of the first match of the 2025 season.
• Popović transferred to Pepperdine last year after leading a one-season turnaround at Bradley. She paced the Braves in kills and ace serves.
• Popović started her U.S. career with two standout years at New Mexico Junior College. She won NJCAA All-America honors both seasons.
• Popović took up volleyball at age 8 in her hometown in Kosovo. She moved at age 14 to Belgrade, Serbia, to join the OK Roda club.

Excerpts from 2020 AVSR Global report:

“A complete, elite player ready to go at six rotations in the top third of Division I. … Fast and dynamic. She’s a robust, versatile player. … Swing is high and fast. … Her tenacity as a competitor is special.”