SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its volleyball players of the week Tuesday for games played March 23-29. The Citadel outside hitter Sharlissa De Jesus repeats as Offensive Player of the Week and Western Carolina’s Destinee Dorsey and Hannah Price were honored as the Defensive Player of the Week and Setter of the Week, respectively. The players of the week are selected by the league office.

De Jesus hit .421, averaged 4.30 kills per set and recorded two double-doubles as The Citadel split a pair of five-set matches at Samford, the SoCon regular-season co-champion and No. 1 seed in the upcoming Southern Conference Championship. In Sunday’s match, the senior recorded 19 kills and 16 digs, tying for the team high in both categories, as she helped the Bulldogs claw back from down 2-1 to earn a 3-2 win. The native of Guayama, Puerto Rico, also added two service aces, two assists and three block assists in the win. The following day, De Jesus hit .297 and led all players with 24 kills and added 25 digs in a narrow 3-2 loss.

Dorsey, a freshman libero, earns her third defensive honor of the season. She averaged 7.89 digs per set as the Catamounts went 3-0 with three sweeps on the week and locked up the No. 3 seed in the SoCon Championship. In a midweek contest against Wofford, Dorsey led all players with 17 digs and added six assists. In the first game of a weekend series at UNCG, the native of Mobile, Alabama, tallied 29 digs, again a match high, and finished with six assists. Dorsey recorded a match-high 25 digs in the series finale on Monday.

Price, a senior, earns her second honor of the season after averaging 11.44 assist per set in the Catamounts’ 3-0 week. The Piney Flatts, Tennessee, native tallied 33 assists in the sweep of Wofford, 35 assists in the series opener at UNCG and 35 assists in Monday’s contest, all match highs. Price also added 21 digs, nine kills, eight block assists and three service aces on the week. 

The Citadel’s season concluded at 9-12 overall and 7-9 in league play, while Western Carolina (11-7, 11-5) will square off with No. 2 seed Mercer (14-7, 13-3) in the second semifinal match of the Southern Conference Championship on April 2 at 6:30 p.m. CT in Birmingham, Alabama.

Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Sara Esposito (ETSU), Courtney Hoffman (Furman), Annie Karle (Mercer), Lauren Deaton (Samford), Merry Gebel (Western Carolina) and Sarah Barham (Wofford).

Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Kenzie Kellerman (The Citadel), Andrea Aceveda (Furman), Rayanne de Oliviera (Mercer), Emily Naubert (Samford) and Abbey Richman (Wofford).

Also nominated for setter of the week: Amie Greene (The Citadel), Emily Arnold (ETSU), Katie Murphy (Furman), Kayla Keshock (Samford) 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
March 9 Annie Karle, Jr., OH, Mercer
March 16 Sarah Barham, Fr., MB, Wofford
March 23 Sharlissa De Jesus, Sr., OH, The Citadel
March 30 Sharlissa De Jesus, Sr., OH, The Citadel

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
March 9 Andrea Aceveda, So., LIB, Furman
March 16 Destinee Dorsey, Fr., LIB, Western Carolina
March 23 Brenna Everingham, Jr., LIB, Chattanooga      
March 30 Destinee Dorsey, Fr., LIB, Western Carolina    

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
March 9 Amie Greene, So., The Citadel
March 16 Emily Arnold, So., ETSU
March 23 Emily Hodsdon, Fr., Wofford              
March 30 Hannah Price, Sr., Western Carolina