SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its volleyball players of the week Monday for games played Oct. 21-27. Furman outside hitter Nicole Mack was named the Offensive Player of the Week, while Western Carolina libero Meagan Sanchez was named the Defensive Player of the Week and teammate Hannah Price was tabbed the Setter of the Week. The players of the week are selected by the league office.
Mack picks up Furman’s first honor of the season and second of her career after helping the Paladins to a 1-1 week, including a win over ETSU, who was previously unbeaten in conference action. The redshirt junior from Cascade, Colorado, who had double-doubles in each of the two matches, began the week with 14 kills and 22 digs, tying the match high, to push Furman past the Bucs in Johnson City, Tennessee. In a loss at Western Carolina, Mack led all players with 20 kills and added 15 digs in the setback.
Sanchez collect her sixth defensive honor of the season and seventh of her career as Western Carolina went 2-0 with sweeps of UNC Greensboro and Western Carolina. She is the first player since Furman’s Meg DeMaar (2014-18) to amass seven career weekly awards and one of just three players to do so. She averaged 6.67 digs per set in the two wins. Against the Spartans on Friday, the senior from Bristow, Virginia, led all players with 22 digs. A day later, she tallied 18 digs in the victory over the Paladins.
Price, a Piney Flatts, Tennessee, native, averaged 11.83 assists and 3.33 digs per set in Western Carolina’s pair of wins. The junior dished out a match-high 38 assists and added eight digs against UNCG. She followed that up with a double-double a day later, amassing 33 assists and 12 digs in the sweep of Furman.
Furman (5-16, 5-5 SoCon) hits the road to face The Citadel (8-15, 2-8) on Friday, Nov. 1, and Wofford (11-13, 4-6) on Saturday, Nov. 2. Western Carolina (14-9, 8-2) rounds out a four-game homestand by hosting Chattanooga (5-17, 0-9) on Friday and Mercer (11-12, 4-6) on Saturday.
Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Kaela Massey (ETSU), Jaida Howell (Mercer), Kelsi Hobbs (Samford), Merry Gebel (Western Carolina) and Riley Coonan (Wofford).
Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Marija Popovic (ETSU), Andrea Aceveda (Furman), Megan Smith (Mercer), Emily Naubert (Samford) and Riley Coonan (Wofford).
Also nominated for setter of the week: Emily Arnold (ETSU), Katie Murphy (Furman), Nya Steele (Mercer), Corinne Meglic (Samford) and Lorissa King (Wofford).
2019 SoCon Volleyball Offensive Players of the Week
Sept. 2 Lauren Deaton, So., OH, Samford
Sept. 9 Kaela Massey, Sr., MB, ETSU
Sept. 16 Kelsi Hobbs, Sr., RS, Samford
Sept. 23 Abigail Veit, Sr., OH, Western Carolina
Sept. 30 Kelsi Hobbs, Sr., RS, Samford
Oct. 7 Kelsi Hobbs, Sr., RS, Samford
Oct. 14 Kaela Massey, Sr., MB, ETSU
Oct. 21 Sharlissa De Jesus, Jr., OH, The Citadel
Oct. 28 Nicole Mack, R-Jr., OH, Furman
2019 SoCon Volleyball Defensive Players of the Week
Sept. 2 Meagan Sanchez, Sr., LIB, Western Carolina
Sept. 9 Catie Cronister, Sr., OH, Wofford
Sept. 16 Meagan Sanchez, Sr., LIB, Western Carolina
Sept. 23 Sydney Cherney, Fr., LIB, ETSU
Sept. 30 Meagan Sanchez, Sr., LIB, Western Carolina
Oct. 7 Meagan Sanchez, Sr., LIB, Western Carolina
Oct. 14 Meagan Sanchez, Sr., LIB, Western Carolina
Oct. 21 Marija Popovic, Jr., LIB, ETSU
Oct. 28 Meagan Sanchez, Sr., LIB, Western Carolina
2019 SoCon Volleyball Setters of the Week
Sept. 2 Gabriela McHugh, Fr., UNCG
Sept. 9 Corinne Meglic, R-So., Samford
Sept. 16 Corinne Meglic, R-So., Samford
Sept. 23 Malia Randolph, Jr., Mercer
Sept. 30 Emily Arnold, Fr., ETSU
Oct. 7 Emily Arnold, Fr., ETSU
Oct. 14 Nya Steele, So., Mercer
Oct. 21 Emily Arnold, Fr., ETSU
Oct. 28 Hannah Price, Jr., Western Carolina
-www.SoConSports.com-