SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its volleyball players of the week on Monday for matches played Nov. 6-12. Mercer outside hitter Kylee Quigley was named the Offensive Player of the Week and Wofford middle blocker Sarah Barham was designated Defensive Player of the Week, while the Bears’ Kiera McCarles was tabbed Setter of the Week. The players of the week are selected by the league office.
 
Quigley, who received the honor for the third time this season including the second straight week, averaged 4.22 kills per set as Mercer went 2-0 last week. The Bears won in four sets at Chattanooga on Thursday before winning a five-set thriller against Samford in the regular season finale on Saturday. The Port St. Lucie, Florida, native logged 21 kills, nine digs, two blocks and an ace versus the Mocs. Two days later, the graduate student had a double-double, finishing with 17 kills, 13 digs, four blocks, two of which were solo, and two aces in the contest with the Bulldogs. Quigley currently leads the SoCon in service aces per set (0.45).
 
Barham, who won the honor on Sept. 11 and Oct. 9, led the Terrier defense at the net, averaging 1.78 blocks per set for Wofford as the Terriers won two home conference matches. Wofford defeated Western Carolina, 3-1, on Friday and outlasted ETSU in five sets on Saturday. The senior had five total blocks, four of which were solo, three digs and 11 kills in the match with Western Carolina. The next day against ETSU, the Summerfield, North Carolina, native recorded 11 blocks, six solo, two digs, one assist and a career-high 20 kills with a .667 hitting percentage. Barham’s performance against the Buccaneers was the first double-double of her Terrier career.
 
McCarles, who received the honor on Oct. 16, averaged 11.8 assists per set to pace the Mercer offense. The native of Ontario, Canada, finished with a career-high 59 assists, a career-high 28 digs, three aces, two kills and one block versus Chattanooga. The sophomore recorded 47 assists, seven digs, three aces, two blocks and a kill in the contest with Samford. McCarles has had 40-plus assists in each of the last four matches for Mercer, all wins for the Bears.
 
Mercer (16-11, 12-4 SoCon) is the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament and will take on No. 7 Chattanooga (18-13, 6-10) in the quarterfinals on Friday, Nov. 17, at 5 p.m. inside Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium on the campus of Wofford. No. 3 Wofford (20-7, 11-5) will take on No. 6 Western Carolina (10-17, 7-9) at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 17, in the SoCon championship quarterfinals.

Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Ali Ruffin (The Citadel), Brianna Cantrell (ETSU), Lauren Haynes (Furman), Aylin Baran (UNCG), Kaleigh Merritt (Samford), Morgan Romano (Chattanooga), Bailey Hartsough (Western Carolina) and Sarah Barham (Wofford)
 
Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Jaelynn Elgert (The Citadel), Kennedy Seekford (Furman), Abbey Havrilla (Mercer), Avery Sziksai (UNCG), Kate Wonus (Samford), Paige Gallentine (Chattanooga) and Ali Morris (Western Carolina)
 
Also nominated for setter of the week: Belle Hogan (The Citadel), Malgorzata Andersohn (ETSU), Mallory Meers (UNCG), Kayla Keshock (Samford), Elaine Redman (Chattanooga) and Taylor Pecht (Wofford)
 
2023 SoCon Volleyball Offensive Players of the Week 
Aug. 28             Morgan Romano, Gr., OH, Chattanooga 
Sept. 4             Ali Ruffin, Jr., OH, The Citadel 
Sept. 11            Ali Ruffin, Jr., OH, The Citadel 
Sept. 18            Gracie Lynn Butler, Jr., OH, Samford 
Sept. 25            Ali Ruffin, Jr., OH, The Citadel
Oct. 2               Gylian Finch, Gr., OH, Chattanooga 
Oct. 9               Ali Ruffin, Jr., OH, The Citadel
Oct. 16             Skyler Bumpers, Jr., MB, Mercer 
Oct. 23             Kylee Quigley, Gr., OH, Mercer 
Oct. 30             Ali Ruffin, Jr., OH, The Citadel
Nov. 6              Kylee Quigley, Gr., OH, Mercer 
Nov. 13             Kylee Quigley, Gr., OH, Mercer 
 
2023 SoCon Volleyball Defensive Players of the Week 
Aug. 28             Jaelynn Elgert, Sr., LIB, The Citadel
Sept. 4             Abbey Richman, Sr., DS/LIB, Wofford
Sept. 11            Sarah Barham, Sr., MB, Wofford
Sept. 18            Abbey Richman, Sr., DS/LIB, Wofford
Sept. 25            Abbey Richman, Sr., DS/LIB, Wofford
Oct. 2               Abbey Richman, Sr., DS/LIB, Wofford
Oct. 9               Sarah Barham, Sr., MB, Wofford
Oct. 16             Gina DeLancey, Gr., MB, The Citadel
Oct. 23             Paige Gallentine, Jr., DS/LIB, Chattanooga
Oct. 30             Eden Punch, Sr., MB, Western Carolina
Nov. 6              Millie Loehr, Sr., MB, Wofford
Nov. 13             Sarah Barham, Sr., MB, Wofford

2023 SoCon Volleyball Setters of the Week 
Aug. 28             Elaine Redman, Jr., Chattanooga 
Sept. 4             Ella Abraham, Sr., Furman 
Sept. 11            Belle Hogan, Sr., The Citadel 
Sept. 18            Elaine Redman, Jr., Chattanooga 
Sept. 25            Belle Hogan, Sr., The Citadel 
Oct. 2               Elaine Redman, Jr., Chattanooga 
Oct. 9               Belle Hogan, Sr., The Citadel 
Oct. 16             Kiera McCarles, So., Mercer 
Oct. 23             Emily Navarro, Fr., Furman 
Oct. 30             Elaine Redman, Jr., Chattanooga 
Nov. 6              Elaine Redman, Jr., Chattanooga 
Nov. 13             Kiera McCarles, So., Mercer