SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Furman’s Ashton Gregory and Meg DeMaar have been named Southern Conference Volleyball Offensive and Freshman Player of the Week, respectively, while ETSU’s Meredith Hardy and Samford’s Chelsi Carter earned Co-Defensive honors for games of October 14-18. The selections are made by the conference office.
Offensive Player of the Week: Ashton Gregory, Furman, Sophomore, Middle Blocker, Yadkinville, N.C.
Ashton Gregory put together an impressive week, recording 49 kills and a .413 hitting percentage over three conference matches last week. The sophomore compiled 3.77 kills per set while adding 17 blocks, including eight against Samford, to earn the fourth straight Offensive Player of the Week honor for Furman. Gregory put down a career-high 24 kills and hit .400 against Western Carolina on Wednesday. She then followed with 12 kills in a three-set win over Chattanooga on Friday and 13 kills against the Bulldogs on Saturday. The native of Yadkinville, N.C. is the only player in the conference to rank in the top 10 in both hitting percentage (.329) and kills per set (3.16), while also leading the league in blocks per set (1.25). It is the second such weekly honor this season for Gregory, the reigning SoCon Freshman of the Year.
Other Nominees: Megan Sowell (The Citadel), Meredith Hardy (ETSU), Molly Locke (Mercer), Allie Davenport (Chattanooga), Michaela Reesor (Samford), Jordan Timmermann (Western Carolina)
Co-Defensive Player of the Week: Meredith Hardy, ETSU, Senior, Middle Blocker, Kingsport, Tenn.
Meredith Hardy recorded 11 blocks over two matches last week for an average of 1.57 blocks per set. The senior also totaled up strong numbers on offense with 26 kills (3.71 kills per set) and a .488 hitting percentage. Hardy tallied five blocks in a sweep of Wofford on Friday and followed with six blocks in a four-set win over Mercer on Saturday. The middle blocker also put down 19 kills and hit .516 against against to lead the Bucs over the Bears. Hardy leads the conference in blocks per set in conference games with 1.42 and ranks second overall with 1.22 blocks per set. It is the first weekly honor of the year for Hardy but she was named SoCon Defensive Player of the Month for September.
Co-Defensive Player of the Week: Chelsi Carter, Samford, Senior, Libero, Meridianville, Ala.
Chelsi Carter totaled 42 digs for an average of 5.25 digs per set over a pair of conference wins for Samford last week. The veteran libero recorded 11 digs in a three-set win over The Citadel on Friday night and followed up with a career-high-tying 31 digs in the five-set thriller against Furman on Saturday. Carter, who ranks fifth nationally in service aces and seventh in service aces per set, also scored three more aces last week. The native of Meridianville, Ala. leads the SoCon in aces per set at 0.55 and ranks second in digs per set in conference play with a mark of 5.18. It is the first weekly honor of the season for the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and the second of her career.
Other Nominees: Rachel Keefer (The Citadel), Ashton Gregory (Furman), Nicole Sumida (Chattanooga), Elyssa Mulheron (Western Carolina), Jessica Graham (Wofford)
Freshman of the Week: Meg DeMaar, Furman, Libero, Glen Ellyn, Ill.
Meg DeMaar totaled 67 digs over three matches last week, averaging 5.15 digs per set. The rookie libero got out her shovel on Wednesday against Western Carolina, recording a career-high 35 digs. She then tallied a team-high 23 digs against Samford on Saturday, while also adding nine digs and three service aces in a three-set win over Chattanooga. DeMaar ranks fifth in the SoCon overall with 4.51 digs per set and third in conference matches with 4.60 digs per set. It is the third overall weekly honor for DeMaar this season and her second freshman of the week honor.
Other Nominees: Moriah Smith (The Citadel), Rylee Milhorn (ETSU), Emily Krogman (Mercer), T.J. Russell (Samford), Jo-Leigh Vervelde (Western Carolina), Bella Santor (Wofford)