SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its volleyball players of the week Monday for games played Sept. 5-11. Mercer outside hitter Annie Karle was named the Offensive Player of the Week. ETSU middle blocker Whitley Rammel was named Defensive Player of the Week, while Furman’s Sarah Turner was tabbed Setter of the Week. The players of the week are selected by the league office.
Karle averaged 4.91 kills per set as Mercer went 2-1 last weekend in the Stetson Invitational in DeLand, Florida. The Bears won two four-set matches against Bethune-Cookman and SIU Edwardsville. They fell to the host, Stetson, in three sets to finish the tournament. In the opening match of the weekend, Karle had 18 kills, 10 digs and an ace versus Bethune-Cookman. The Mount Olive, New Jersey, native finished with 22 kills, 15 digs, three aces and four blocks in the squad’s victory over SIU Edwardsville. Against Stetson, Karle had another 14 kills and eight digs en route to being named to the all-tournament team.
Rammel anchored the ETSU defense at the net as the team hosted the Buccaneer Classic, finishing with a 3-0 record in the event. The native of Fort Recovery, Ohio, tallied 17 total blocks, 17 kills and four digs in the squad’s matches. Rammel finished with two kills in a sweep of Georgia State on Friday. Later that day, the freshman logged eight kills, two digs and six total blocks as the Buccaneers defeated ACC foe Clemson in five sets. On Saturday, Rammel had seven kills, two digs and 11 total blocks, three solo, in a four-set win over USC Upstate as she was named to the all-tournament team following the match. The 11 blocks Rammel had against USC Upstate were the most for an ETSU player since Sept. 14, 2019, when Lundyn Coffman achieved the feat.
Turner led the Furman offense in the Mountaineer Classic in Boone, North Carolina, hosted by App State. She had double digits in assists and digs in each contest over the weekend, accounting for her first three double-doubles of the season. Turner tallied 27 assists and 10 digs in a sweep of Presbyterian. The Lugoff, South Carolina, native finished with a career-high 47 assists, 17 digs and three kills against App State. Turner had 46 assists and 11 digs in the squad’s four-set win over Texas A&M-Commerce.
Mercer (4-5, 0-0 SoCon) travels to Charlottesville, Virginia, to compete in a tournament on Friday and Saturday against Maryland, East Carolina and Virginia. ETSU (4-5, 0-0 SoCon) will be in Clarksville, Tennessee, on Friday and Saturday for the Stacheville Challenge to play UT Martin, Austin Peay and North Dakota State. Furman (3-5, 0-0 SoCon) will host games on Thursday and Friday against USC Upstate and Marshall, respectively.
Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Makaya Middleton (The Citadel), Amanda Lowe (ETSU), Lauren Haynes (Furman), Taylor Robertson (UNCG), Kenya McQuirter (Samford), Natalie Tyson (Chattanooga), Merry Gebel (Western Carolina) and Sarah Barham (Wofford).
Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Andrea Aceveda (Furman), Lexi Uhrhan (Mercer), Ella Voegele (UNCG), Kate Morgan (Samford), Paige Gallentine (Chattanooga), Bailey Hartsough (Western Carolina) and Millie Loehr (Wofford).
Also nominated for setter of the week: Caroline Dykes (ETSU), Kiera McCarles (Mercer), Gabriela McHugh (UNCG), Kayla Keshock (Samford), Elaine Redman (Chattanooga), Sydney Carlson (Western Carolina) and Victoria Hensley (Wofford).
2022 SoCon Volleyball Offensive Players of the Week
Aug. 29 Merry Gebel, 5th Yr., OH, Western Carolina
Sept. 5 Lauren Deaton, Gr., OH, Samford
Sept. 12 Annie Karle, Gr., OH, Mercer
2022 SoCon Volleyball Defensive Players of the Week
Aug. 29 Eden Punch, Jr., MB, Western Carolina
Sept. 5 Jaelynn Elgert, Jr., LIB, The Citadel
Sept. 12 Whitley Rammel, Fr., MB, ETSU
2022 SoCon Volleyball Setters of the Week
Aug. 29 Gabriela McHugh, Sr., UNCG
Sept. 5 Belle Hogan, So., The Citadel
Sept. 12 Sarah Turner, Sr., Furman