SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its volleyball players of the week Monday for games played Nov. 1-7. Samford outside hitter Kenya McQuirter repeats as the Offensive Player of the Week, Chattanooga libero Paige Gallentine has been named Defensive Player of the Week, and Samford setter Kayla Keshock has been tabbed as the Setter of the Week for the second consecutive week. The players of the week are selected by the league office. 
 
McQuirter averaged 6.57 kills per set as the Bulldogs went 2-0 with wins over ETSU and Chattanooga. Against the Bucs on Friday, the native of Mobile, Alabama, led all players with 22 kills. She added four digs and five block assists in the 3-1 win. The following day, McQuirter tallied a match-high and career-high 24 kills in a sweep of Chattanooga. She hit .315 and added three digs and two blocks as Samford won its fourth straight match and improved to .500 in league play.
 
Gallentine collects her third Defensive Player of the Week nod of the season after averaging 5.75 digs per set on the week. On Friday, the freshman tallied a match-high 23 digs as the Mocs upset Mercer, who sits atop the SoCon standings, in a five-set thriller. She added four assists in the road win. On Saturday, the Fenton, Michigan, native tallied 23 digs, again a match high, and added five assists in a three-set loss at Samford. Gallentine has recorded 23-plus digs in a three-set conference match twice this season, while no other league player has accomplished the feat, and becomes the first Chattanooga player to win three SoCon weekly honors in the same season since Paula Passmore in 2012.  
 
Keshock averaged 12.57 assists in the pair of Bulldog wins. Against ETSU, Keshock dished out a match-high 46 assists and added 11 digs to earn a double-double. In the sweep over Chattanooga the next day, the native of Spanish Fort, Alabama, led all players with 42 assists, adding nine digs to just narrowly miss another double-double.   
 
Heading into the final week of conference play, Samford (8-17, 7-7 SoCon) hosts Mercer (15-10, 11-3) on Wednesday, Nov. 10, and concludes the regular season at Furman (7-17, 2-12) on Saturday, Nov. 13. Chattanooga (9-18, 5-9) welcomes ETSU (11-14, 7-7) to town on Tuesday, Nov. 9, before wrapping up conference action against Wofford (14-12, 8-6) on Saturday.
 
Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Bella Tolone (Furman), Brittany Wood (UNCG), Kate Neill (Chattanooga), Merry Gebel (Western Carolina) and Sarah MacLean (Wofford).

Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Andrea Aceveda (Furman), Annie Karle (Mercer), Jenna Wiggs (UNCG), Kate Morgan (Samford), Johnna Robinson (Western Carolina) and Sarah Barham (Wofford).

Also nominated for setter of the week: Sarah Turner (Furman), Agnieska Paskevic (Mercer), Gabriela McHugh (UNCG), 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
Nov. 8 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
Nov. 8 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
Oct. 25 Gabriela McHugh, Jr., UNCG
Nov. 1 Kayla Keshock, R-So., Samford
Nov. 8 Kayla Keshock, R-So., Samford