SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its volleyball players of the week Monday for games played Oct. 4-10. Samford outside hitter Kenya McQuirter has been named the Offensive Player of the Week, Chattanooga libero Paige Gallentine has been tabbed Defensive Player of the Week, and Wofford sophomore Emily Hodsdon has been named the Setter of the Week. The players of the week are selected by the league office. 
 
McQuirter averaged 4.67 kills per set and hit .319 on the week as Samford dropped a pair of matches at ETSU and
Chattanooga. Against the Bucs on Thursday, the native of Mobile, Alabama, led all players with 22 kills and added three digs and a block assist in a 3-1 loss. On Friday, the sophomore hit .400 with a match-high 20 kills on 45 swings and tallied five digs and a block assist in the 3-2 setback against the Mocs.
 
Gallentine averaged 6.00 digs per set on the week. She led all players with 30 digs, the most by a SoCon player in league play to this point in the season, in Chattanooga’s five set come-from-behind win over preseason SoCon favorite Samford. Gallentine sealed the win over the Bulldogs with back-to-back aces to end the fifth set. A day later against Mercer, the Fenton, Michigan, native led all players with 18 digs in a 3-0 loss.
 
Hodsdon averaged 12.14 assists per set as Wofford went 1-1 on the week. The Alpharetta, Georgia, native dished out a match-high 34 assists and added seven digs and two kills in a 3-0 loss to UNCG on Friday. In a four-set win over Western Carolina the following day, Hodsdon totaled 51 assists, eclipsing 50 for the fourth time this season, and added 10 digs, earning her fourth double-double of the 2021 campaign. She added three kills and three aces in the win over the Catamounts.   
 
After four road matches to open conference play, Samford (3-14, 2-4 SoCon) plays at Mercer (9-8, 5-1) on Wednesday, Oct. 13, before welcoming Furman (6-10, 1-5) in the Bulldogs' conference home opener on Friday, Oct. 15. Chattanooga (6-13, 2-4) plays at ETSU (7-10, 3-3) on Tuesday, Oct. 12, and at Wofford (8-10, 2-4) on Friday. After hosting the Mocs on Friday, Wofford welcomes ETSU to Spartanburg, South Carolina, for a Saturday evening contest.
 
Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Sara Esposito (ETSU), Bella Tolone (Furman), Rayanne de Oliveira (Mercer), Kayla White (UNCG), Merry Gebel (Western Carolina) and Kennedy Smith (Wofford).

Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Lundyn Coffman (ETSU), Andrea Aceveda (Furman), Jenna Wiggs (UNCG), Kate Morgan (Samford), Destinee Dorsey (Western Carolina) and Kaitlyn Brown (Wofford).

Also nominated for setter of the week: Caroline Dykes (ETSU), Sarah Turner (Furman), Agnieska Paskevic (Mercer), Gabriela McHugh (UNCG) and Sydney Carlson (Western Carolina).
 
2021 SoCon Volleyball Offensive Players of the Week
Aug. 30 Meghan Yaffa, R-Jr., OH, Wofford
Sept. 6 Maia Rackel, Jr., MB/RS, Chattanooga
Sept. 13 Sharlissa De Jesus, Sr., OH, The Citadel
Sept. 20 Kayla White, Gr., OH, UNCG
Sept. 27 Kayla White, Gr., OH, UNCG
Oct. 4 Sara Esposito, Sr., RS, ETSU
Oct. 11 Kenya McQuirter, R-So., OH, Samford

2021 SoCon Volleyball Defensive Players of the Week
Aug. 30 Megan Smith, Gr., LIB, Mercer
Sept. 6 Andrea Aceveda, Jr., LIB, Furman
Sept. 13 Destinee Dorsey, So., LIB, Western Carolina
Sept. 20 Kenzie Kellerman, Jr., LIB, The Citadel
Sept. 27 Destinee Dorsey, So., LIB, Western Carolina
Oct. 4 Rayanne de Oliveira, Sr., MH, Mercer
Oct. 11 Paige Gallentine, Fr., LIB, Chattanooga

2021 SoCon Volleyball Setters of the Week
Aug. 30 Emily Hodsdon, So., Wofford
Sept. 6 Gabriela McHugh, Jr., UNCG
Sept. 13 Gabriela McHugh, Jr., UNCG
Sept. 20 Caroline Dykes, Fr., ETSU
Sept. 27 Caroline Dykes, Fr., ETSU
Oct. 4 Belle Hogan, Fr., The Citadel
Oct. 11 Emily Hodsdon, So., Wofford