SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its volleyball players of the week Monday for games played Oct. 11-17. UNCG outside hitter Kayla White has been named the Offensive Player of the Week, Chattanooga libero Paige Gallentine repeats as Defensive Player of the Week, and Spartan junior Gabriela McHugh has been named the Setter of the Week. The players of the week are selected by the league office. 
 
White averaged 5.11 kills per set and hit .290 on the week as UNCG split a pair of conference contests. At Western Carolina on Wednesday, White tallied a match-high 22 kills and added 18 digs in a 3-1 win for the Spartans. In a close five-set loss to The Citadel on Friday, the native of Montgomery, Alabama, totaled 24 kills, again a match high, and hit .297 in the match. The graduate student finished with 19 digs, earning her second double-double of the week. The Offensive Player of the Week honor is White’s third of the season.
 
After averaging 6.00 digs per set and being named SoCon Defensive of the Week last week, Gallentine averaged 7.17 digs per set this week to earn her second honor in as many weeks. In a 3-0 loss at ETSU on Tuesday, the native of Fenton, Michigan, led all players with 25 digs. On Friday at Wofford, Gallentine again led all players with 18 digs, adding two assists and a service ace in a 3-0 loss.
 
McHugh earned her third Setter of the Week honor of the season after averaging 11.78 assists per set. In the four-set win at Western Carolina, the native of Ashley, Indiana, dished out a match-high 48 assists and added nine digs, a career-high four blocks and a service ace. Against The Citadel, McHugh tallied a career-high 58 assists and totaled 12 digs in the five-set loss, just UNCG’s second in conference action. McHugh averages a league-best 10.60 assists per set on the season. 
 
UNCG (17-4, 6-2 SoCon) continues a three-game homestand by welcoming Chattanooga (6-15, 2-6) on Friday, Oct. 22, and ETSU (8-11, 4-4) on Saturday, Oct. 23. The Mocs play at Western Carolina (9-10, 5-3) on Thursday, Oct. 21, before making the trek to Greensboro, North Carolina, for the Friday meeting with the Spartans.
 
Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Gina Delancey (The Citadel), Neci Harris (Furman), Taylor Lynch (Mercer), Lauren Deaton (Samford), Bailey Hartsough (Western Carolina) and Kennedy Smith (Wofford).

Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Gina Delancey (The Citadel), Andrea Aceveda (Furman), Annie Karle (Mercer), Hannah Knier (UNCG), Kayla Keshock (Samford), Destinee Dorsey (Western Carolina) and Kaitlyn Brown (Wofford).

Also nominated for setter of the week: Sarah Turner (Furman), Agnieska Paskevic (Mercer), Kayla Keshock (Samford), Sydney Carlson (Western Carolina) and Emily Hodsdon (Wofford).
 
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
Oct. 18 Kayla White, Gr., OH, UNCG

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
Oct. 18 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
Oct. 18 Gabriela McHugh, Jr., UNCG