SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Samford’s Taylor Anderton and Wofford’s Taylor Gill have been named Southern Conference volleyball offensive and defensive players of the week, respectively, for matches played Sept. 11-17, the conference office announced Monday.

Anderton, a junior, was named to the all-tournament team at the 2017 Hoosier Classic over the weekend as Samford finished 2-1 and earned a second-place finish. Anderton started the week with 42 assists in a tough loss to Alabama on Sept. 12. The Collierville, Tennessee, native then posted 33 assists against Florida Gulf Coast, while also chipping in eight digs, one block solo and three block assists. Anderton and the Bulldogs opened day two of the Hoosier Classic by knocking off unbeaten Indiana as Anderton posted 37 assists, five digs and four block assists. Anderton saved her best match for last though as she recorded 39 assists and the Bulldogs boasted a .266 hitting percentage in a 3-1 win over UNLV. Anderton finished the week with 151 assists, 25 digs and nine total blocks in 16 sets played, averaging 9.44 assists per set. Anderton is currently fourth among active SoCon players with 1,681 assists in her career and ranks third in the conference with 9.51 assists per set this season.

Gill, a junior, helped Wofford finish a perfect 3-0 at the Georgia State Invitational over the weekend in Atlanta, Georgia. In the first match of the weekend, Gill and the Terriers downed Davidson 3-1 as Gill tallied a match-best 22 digs, five assists and one service ace. The libero followed with 13 digs in a 3-0 sweep of host Georgia State as Gill added seven digs and two aces. In the weekend finale against South Carolina State, Gill led all players with 10 digs in her two sets of action. The Madison, Alabama, native was named to the all-tournament team after averaging 5.00 digs per set and 1.67 assists per set. Gill currently ranks second in the conference in digs and eighth in service aces.

Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Moriah Smith (The Citadel), Jamila Johnson (Furman), Paige Alsten (Mercer), Ashley Muench (UNCG), Ally Ford (Chattanooga), Abigail Veit (Western Carolina) and Catie Cronister (Wofford).

Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Braedyn Tutton (ETSU), Christina Gregory (UNCG), Grace Tiesman (Samford) and Katie O’Connor (Western Carolina).

2017 SoCon Volleyball Offensive Players of the Week
Aug. 28 Ally Ford, R-So., OH, Chattanooga
Sept. 4 Catie Cronister, So., OH, Wofford
Sept. 11 Paige Alsten, Jr., MB, Mercer
Sept. 18 Taylor Anderton, Jr., S, Samford

2017 SoCon Volleyball Defensive Players of the Week
Aug. 28 Megan Kaufman, Fr., DS/L, Chattanooga
Sept. 4 Christina Gregory, Jr., DS/L, UNCG
Sept. 11 Meg DeMaar, Sr., L, Furman
Sept. 18 Taylor Gill, Jr., L, Wofford