SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its volleyball players of the week Monday for games played Oct. 25-31. Samford outside hitter Kenya McQuirter has been named the Offensive Player of the Week, Mercer middle hitter Rayanne de Oliveira has been named Defensive Player of the Week, and Samford setter Kayla Keshock has been tabbed as the Setter of the Week. The players of the week are selected by the league office. 
 
McQuirter averaged 4.88 kills per set as the Bulldogs went 2-0 with wins over Western Carolina and UNCG. Against the Catamounts on Friday, the native of Mobile, Alabama, led all players with 20 kills. She hit .255 and added a dig and two block assists in the 3-1 win. A day later, the redshirt sophomore finished with 19 kills, again a match high, in a four-set win over UNCG, which entered the weekend tied atop the SoCon standings. McQuirter hit .240 and added a solo block in the victory.
 
de Oliveira averaged 2.00 blocks per set as Mercer downed UNCG and Western Carolina over the weekend. Against the Spartans, the native of Pocos de Caldas, Brazil, tallied nine blocks to pace the Bears defensively en route to a 3-1 win. On the offensive end, de Oliveira hit .360 with 12 kills and a service ace. The following day, the senior tallied five blocks and added four digs in a 3-0 sweep. She again contributed offensively, finishing with 11 kills and just one error on 28 swings (.357) and a pair of service aces as the Bears won their third straight to sit alone atop the league standings.
 
Keshock averaged 11.62 assists in the pair of Bulldog wins. Against Western Carolina, Keshock dished out a match-high 50 assists and added 12 digs to earn a double-double. She also added five kills without committing an error, hitting .455 in the win. In the four-set win over the Spartans the next day, the native of Spanish Fort, Alabama, led all players with 43 assists, adding eight digs and five kills, again without committing an error (.600), in the win. 
 
With two weeks to go in the regular season, Samford (6-17, 5-7 SoCon) hosts ETSU (11-12, 7-5) on Friday, Nov. 5, and Chattanooga (8-17, 4-8) on Saturday, Nov. 6. Mercer is also at home this weekend, welcoming Chattanooga on Friday before hosting ETSU on Saturday.
 
Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Sharlissa De Jesus (The Citadel), Sara Esposito (ETSU), Neci Harris (Furman), Rayanne de Oliveira (Mercer), Kayla White (UNCG), Maia Rackel (Chattanooga), Merry Gebel (Western Carolina) and Kennedy Smith (Wofford).

Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Haley Sanders (ETSU), Bella Tolone (Furman), Jenna Wiggs (UNCG), Emily Naubert (Samford), Paige Gallentine (Chattanooga), Destinee Dorsey (Western Carolina) and Kaitlyn Brown (Wofford).

Also nominated for setter of the week: Belle Hogan (The Citadel), Caroline Dykes (ETSU), Sarah Turner (Furman), Agnieska Paskevic (Mercer), Gabriela McHugh (UNCG), Sophia Bossong (Chattanooga), 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
Oct. 25 Neci Harris, Sr., MB, Furman
Nov. 1 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
Oct. 18 Paige Gallentine, Fr., LIB, Chattanooga
Oct. 25 Kelsey Watkins, R-So., MB, Furman
Nov. 1 Rayanne de Oliveira, Sr., MH, Mercer

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
Oct. 25 Gabriela McHugh, Jr., UNCG
Nov. 1 Kayla Keshock, R-So., Samford