SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Southern Conference named the volleyball players of the week for the matches played the week of October 18. Georgia Southern's Kate Van Dyke was named Offensive Player of the Week, while College of Charleston's Sarah Havel was selected as Defensive Player of the Week. The Freshman of the Week honors went to Georgia Southern's Nicole Jeschelnik. The players of the week are voted on by the league office.
Van Dyke, a sophomore from Shawnee, Kan., is the second Georgia Southern player to earn this honor in as many weeks, as Parker Small received the award last week. The setter posted two double-doubles over the weekend as she helped the Eagles to a perfect 3-0 record. Van Dyke fueled the Eagle attack with 121 assists (11.00 assists per set), but she also averaged 2.73 digs per set. She hit .526 in the three matches and had 12 kills. Against Western Carolina, Van Dyke recorded 46 assists and 11 digs, and 48 assists and 14 digs at Appalachian State. She tallied three kills each at Davidson and Western Carolina and six at Appalachian State. The sophomore hit .667 against the Mountaineers with six kills on nine swings and no errors. She also had two service aces against Appalachian State.
Havel, a Carmel, Ind., native, set a College of Charleston record over the weekend with 17 blocks in the Cougars 3-1 win over Elon. Havel's mark ties the Southern Conference record for most blocks in a match. The junior middle blocker also had a strong effort in the 3-1 win over UNCG with six blocks and 13 kills. With her three solo blocks over the weekend, Havel moved into 10th on the College of Charleston all-time list for solo blocks. Her 2.75 blocks per set over the weekend improved her season average to 1.19.
The SoCon's Freshman of the Week award went to Nicole Jeschelnik of Georgia Southern. The Ladera Ranch, Calif., native led the Eagles over Appalachian State with a career-high 16 kills. She hit .297 for the match and added two block assists. Against Davidson, the outside hitter posted nine kills, four digs and one block assist. At Western Carolina, she hit .308 for five kills and one error on 13 attempts.
Also nominated for Offensive Player of the Week were College of Charleston's Cole Dawley, The Citadel's Kaona Mercer, Davidson's Sarabeth Peele, Elon's Caroline Lemke, Furman's Kelly Kirby, UNCG's Ariel Newman, Samford's Lauren Hutchinson, Chattanooga's Megan Ernd and Western Carolina's Paloma Alvarez.
Nominated for Defensive Player of the Week were The Citadel's Jessica Maas, Davidson's Jennifer Chamblee, Furman's Elle Ross, Georgia Southern's Ashley Roe, UNCG's Kayren Finney, Samford's Alexis Bauer, Chattanooga's Paula Passmore and Western Carolina's Morgan Cochran.
Nominated for Freshman of the Week were College of Charleston's Madelyn McGinnis, The Citadel's Erin Bucherl, Furman's Elle Ross, UNCG's Kellie Orewiler, Samford's Katie Murphy and Western Carolina's Morgan Cochran.
2010 Volleyball Offensive Players of the Week
Week 1 - Whitney Russell, College of Charleston
Week 2 - Hillary Fountain, Samford
Week 3 - Courtney Barnes, Chattanooga
Week 4 - Kelly Kirby, Furman
Week 5 - Parker Small, Georgia Southern
Week 6 - Sarabeth Peele, Davidson
Week 7 - Sarabeth Peele, Davidson
Week 8 - Parker Small, Georgia Southern
Week 9 - Kate Van Dyke, Georgia Southern
2010 Volleyball Defensive Players of the Week
Week 1 - Kayren Finney, UNCG
Week 2 - Alison Blasingame, Appalachian State
Week 3 - Paige Johnson, College of Charleston
Week 4 - Paula Passmore, Chattanooga
Week 5 - Ashley Roe, Georgia Southern
Week 6 - Kelly Kirby, Furman
Week 7 - Kayren Finney, UNCG
Week 8 - Sarah Havel, College of Charleston
Week 9 - Sarah Havel, College of Charleston
2010 Volleyball Freshmen of the Week
Week 1 - Katie Murphy, Samford
Week 2 - Sarah McCarthy, Furman
Week 3 - Erin Bucherl, The Citadel
Week 4 - Kellie Orewiler, UNCG
Week 5 - Jennifer Kuroski, Chattanooga
Week 6 - Cali Estes, Elon
Week 7 - Katie Murphy, Samford
Week 8 - Amanda Liguori, Wofford
Week 9 - Nicole Jeschelnik, Georgia Southern