SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its volleyball players of the week Tuesday for games played Feb. 23-March 1. Western Carolina outside hitter Merry Gebel was named the Offensive Player of the Week and the Catamounts’ Hannah Price was named Setter of the Week, while Wofford libero Abbey Richman was named the Defensive Player of the Week. The players of the week are selected by the league office.

Gebel tallied three double-doubles on the week as Western Carolina fell in a midweek contest to Wofford before sweeping its series with ETSU. In the close five-set loss to the Terriers on Wednesday, Gebel tallied a match-high 20 kills and 17 digs. On Sunday, the Wildwood, Missouri, native totaled 12 kills and a match-high 16 digs in a sweep of the Bucs. The following day, the junior outside hitter and preseason all-conference selection hit .311 with a match-high 23 kills, adding 14 rebounds in the 3-1 win.

Price, a senior, averaged 11.33 assists per set and also recorded three double-doubles on the week. The native of Piney Flatts, Tennessee, dished out 44 assists and added 15 digs in the loss to Wofford. Against ETSU on Sunday, Price finished with 38 assists, 15 digs, four kills and an ace in the Catamounts’ 3-0 win before concluding the series the following day with a career-high 54 assists, a match high, and 19 digs.

Richman averaged 5.25 digs per set as Wofford, off to its best SoCon start in program history, went 3-0 on the week. In Wednesday’s win at Western Carolina, the freshman tallied a match-high 32 digs, adding five assists and a pair of aces. In Wofford’s sweep of The Citadel on Sunday, Richman recorded 17 digs, again a match high, and three service aces. The native of Carmel, Indiana, contributed 14 kills in Monday’s series finale, a 3-1 Wofford win.

Western Carolina (5-6, 5-4 SoCon) plays at Furman (3-5, 3-5) on Sunday, March 7, and Monday, March 8, while Wofford (7-2, 7-2) takes on Mercer (8-5, 7-1) in Macon, Georgia, on the same dates.

Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Mikaela Schultz (Furman), Annie Karle (Mercer), Hannah Knier (UNCG) and Sarah Barham (Wofford).

Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Sharlissa De Jesus (The Citadel), Sydney Cherney (ETSU), Andrea Aceveda (Furman), Megan Smith (Mercer), Jenna Wiggs (UNCG) and Destinee Dorsey (Western Carolina).

Also nominated for setter of the week: Katie Murphy (Furman), Malia Randolph (Mercer), Gabriela McHugh (UNCG) and Emily Hodsdon (Wofford).

2020-21 SoCon Volleyball Offensive Players of the Week
Feb. 2 Lauren Deaton, Jr., OH, Samford
Feb. 9 Lauren Deaton, Jr., OH, Samford
Feb. 16 Olivia Cunningham, So., OH, ETSU       
Feb. 23 Riley Coonan, Sr., MB, Wofford
March 2 Merry Gebel, Jr., OH, Western Carolina

2020-21 SoCon Volleyball Defensive Players of the Week
Feb. 2 Sanne Maring, Sr., MB, ETSU
Feb. 9 Andrea Aceveda, So., LIB, Furman
Feb. 16 Destinee Dorsey, Fr., LIB, Western Carolina      
Feb. 23 Paige Gallentine, Fr., LIB, Chattanooga
March 2 Abbey Richman, Fr., LIB, Wofford

2020-21 SoCon Volleyball Setters of the Week
Feb. 2 Emily Arnold, So., ETSU
Feb. 9 Corinne Meglic, R-Jr., Samford
Feb. 16 Corinne Meglic, R-Jr., Samford
Feb. 23 Emily Hodsdon, Fr., Wofford
March 2 Hannah Price, Sr., Western Carolina