LEXINGTON, Va. – VMI Women's Water Polo had a pair of Keydets earn Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference weekly awards as announced by the league on Wednesday.
 
Senior Courtney Novotny was named Offensive Player of the Week while freshman Makynna Smith was dubbed Rookie of the Week. The pair helped VMI win three games at the Macalester Invite last weekend in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Keydets have totaled six victories in 2025.
 
Novotny's Offensive Player of the Week honor is the first for VMI since March 2017 while Smith's Rookie of the Year award is the first for a VMI freshman since February 2012.
 
Smith was a key piece to the Keydets' victory over Augustana, scoring the game-winning goal and posting at least one goal in each of the four contests including a season-most five goals over Carthage. Novotny also put up a game-winner, scoring the final goal in the win over Macalester, and a season-best four goals over Augustana. Defensively, Novotny had 9 steals and 4 field blocks for the weekend while putting up nine goals and seven assists on the offensive end.
 
Novotny, Smith, and the rest of the Keydets wait until March 1 for their next match. VMI will travel to Washington, Pennsylvania to duel Gannon and Washington & Jefferson before dropping down to Morgantown, West Virginia on March 2 for the Salem Mini.
 
For more information, visit VMIKeydets.com or follow us on social media at VMI Athletics.