SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its volleyball players of the week Monday for games played Aug. 30-Sept. 5. Chattanooga middle blocker/right side hitter Maia Rackel was named the Offensive Player of the Week, Furman libero Andrea Aceveda was tabbed Defensive Player of the Week, and UNCG setter Gabriela McHugh was named Setter of the Week. The players of the week are selected by the league office. 
 
Rackel averaged 4.54 kills per set and hit .317 as the Mocs went 2-2 on the week. In a loss at Jacksonville on Tuesday, the native of Signal Mountain, Tennessee, led all players with 15 kills, hit .257 and eclipsed 500 kills for her career. In the opener of the Hampton Inn Invitational in Indianapolis, Indiana, Rackel again led all players in kills, totaling 18 and hitting .304 with four block assists in the 3-1 win over host IUPUI. The following day, the junior hit .294 with 19 kills, a match high, and added two digs and three block assists in a close five-set loss to Toledo. That afternoon, Rackel matched her career high with 25 kills, also a match high, in a 3-2 win over Western Illinois, hitting an impressive .418 with six digs and four blocks in a well-rounded effort en route to being named to the all-tournament team.
 
Aceveda averaged 6.00 digs per set as the Paladins split a pair of contests. On Thursday, the Brentwood, Tennessee, native, tallied 27 digs, a match high and just two shy of tying her career high, in a 3-1 home win over Presbyterian. The junior added a career-high 10 assists, earning her first career double-double. On Saturday, Aceveda led the Paladins with 15 digs, adding three assists in a three-set loss to Elon.
 
McHugh, a junior, averaged 11.91 assists per set as the Spartans went 3-0 with wins over Norfolk State, American and North Carolina A&T in the Spartan-Aggie Tournament, co-hosted by UNCG and North Carolina A&T. Against Norfolk State on Friday, McHugh dished out a match-high 49 assists and added 13 digs to record a double-double in the 3-1 win. The following day, the native of Ashley, Indiana, tallied 41 assists, a match high, adding 14 digs for her second consecutive double-double as the Spartans swept American. In the tournament finale that afternoon, McHugh finished with a match-high 41 assists and six digs in a 3-1 win at North Carolina A&T.
 
Chattanooga (3-4, 0-0 SoCon) hosts Tennessee Tech, Virginia Tech and Troy in the Chattanooga Classic on Sept. 10-11, while Furman (3-2, 0-0) hits the road after a pair of home games, taking part in the Dolphin Classic in Jacksonville, Florida, on the same dates. UNCG (5-1, 0-0) off to its best start since 2010, hosts North Carolina Central in a midweek contest on Tuesday, Sept. 7, before taking on Coppin State, Marist and George Mason in the George Mason Invitational on Sept. 11-12.   

Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Bella Tolone (Furman), Kayla White (UNCG), Merry Gebel (Western Carolina) and Sarah Barham (Wofford).

Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Jenna Wiggs (UNCG), Paige Gallentine (Chattanooga), Johnna Robinson (Western Carolina) and Abbey Richman (Wofford).

Also nominated for setter of the week: Caroline Dykes (ETSU), Sarah Turner (Furman), 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

2021 SoCon Volleyball Defensive Players of the Week
Aug. 30 Megan Smith, Gr., LIB, Mercer
Sept. 6  Andrea Aceveda, Jr., LIB, Furman

2021 SoCon Volleyball Setters of the Week
Aug. 30 Emily Hodsdon, So., Wofford
Sept. 6  Gabriela McHugh, Jr., UNCG