SoCon volleyball players of the week announced

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its volleyball players of the week on Monday for matches played Aug. 29-31. UNCG outside hitter Allie Sweet was named the Offensive Player of the Week and Spartans libero Chloe Nussbaum was named Defensive Player of the Week, while Western Carolina’s Katie Boney was tabbed Setter of the Week. The players of the week are selected by the league office.
 
Sweet averaged 4.64 kills per set as UNCG opened the season going 3-0 in the Spartan Classic. The Spartans defeated Queens in four sets and Sacred Heart via sweep on Friday, before topping Gardner-Webb in four sets on Saturday. Against Queens, the sophomore logged a career-high 27 kills, seven digs and a pair of blocks. Later that day, she finished with six kills and 12 digs in the contest with Sacred Heart. The native of Woodstock, Georgia, concluded her weekend with the sixth double-double of her college career versus Gardner Webb, finishing with 18 kills and 11 digs. Sweet also recorded six blocks, one assist and one ace over the weekend.

Nussbaum, a sophomore, anchored the UNCG defense during the Spartan Classic, averaging 6.64 digs per set. In the opener against Queens, she finished with 26 digs and seven assists. The product of La Cañada Flintridge, California, had 14 digs and a pair of assists versus Sacred Heart. Nussbaum recorded her first career double-double in the contest with Gardner-Webb, logging 33 digs and 10 assists.

Boney paced Western Carolina’s offensive effort during the Florida Atlantic Invitational in Boca Raton, Florida, leading the Catamounts to a 2-1 record. The junior began her season with a career-best 51 assists, six digs and a block in the team’s five-set comeback win over Texas Tech on Friday morning. In the second match of the day, the native of Brookhaven, Georgia, had 48 assists, six digs and two blocks in a four-set victory against Kent State. On Saturday, Boney completed the weekend with her first double-double as a Catamount in a setback versus FAU, recording 35 assists and 10 digs.

UNCG travels to Buis Creek, North Carolina, for the Fairfield Inn and Suites Dunn Campbell Invitational on Sep. 5-6. The Spartans will face Norfolk State, Gardner-Webb and Campbell. Western Carolina will play in the Blue Ridge Volleyball Classic on Sept. 5-6, taking on the College of Charleston, Bradley and Charlotte during the tournament.

Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Makayla Bays (ETSU), Tennyson Gorman (Furman), Charlotte Thompson (Mercer), Kaleigh Meritt (Samford), Sydney Jackwin (Chattanooga), Zoe Zudans (Western Carolina) and Bradley Brown (Wofford)
 
Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Luci Lippelgoos (The Citadel), Kennedy Seekford (Furman), Aubri Martin (Mercer), Ally Cordes (Samford), Caiti Barthel (Chattanooga), Courtney Graham (Western Carolina) and Annemarie Rakoski (Wofford)
 
Also nominated for setter of the week: Jessica Dunn (Mercer), Izora Gragg (UNCG), Shea Bruntmyer (Samford), Ashley Reynolds (Chattanooga) and Taylor Pecht (Wofford)

2025 SoCon Volleyball Offensive Players of the Week 
Sept. 1             Allie Sweet, So., OH, UNCG 
 
2025 SoCon Volleyball Defensive Players of the Week 
Sept. 1             Chloe Nussbaum, So., LIB, UNCG
 
2025 SoCon Volleyball Setters of the Week 
Sept. 1             Katie Boney, Jr., Western Carolina