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 Oct. 21-27. Mercer middle blocker Skyler Bumpers was named the Offensive Player of the Week and ETSU middle blocker Abbey Thomas was named Defensive Player of the Week, while the Bears’ Brooke Phillips was tabbed Setter of the Week. The players of the week are selected by the league office.

Bumpers finished with a .575 hitting percentage, while averaging 4.00 kills per set as Mercer swept The Citadel and Western Carolina last week. On Oct. 25 versus The Citadel, the native of Mobile, Alabama, had a match-high 16 kills, four digs and four blocks against the Bulldogs. The next day, the senior recorded eight kills with zero attack errors in the contest with Western Carolina. She also posted three blocks, one dig and an ace in the match with the Catamounts.

Thomas anchored the ETSU defense as the Buccaneers won a pair of conference road matches last week. In a four-set win at Furman on Oct. 25, the senior tallied eight blocks, eight digs, three aces, six kills and an assist. One day later, the product of Goldsboro, North Carolina, finished with two blocks, seven kills, one dig, one assist and an ace in a sweep of UNCG. Thomas is currently second in the SoCon in total blocks (83).

Phillips, who also won the award on Sept. 16 and Sept. 30, paced the Mercer offense, averaging 10.83 assists per set for the Bears. In the contest with The Citadel, the Indianapolis, Indiana, native logged 36 assists, three kills, six digs and two blocks. The graduate student followed that up with 29 assists, four kills, three aces and six digs against Western Carolina. Phillips leads the SoCon and is second in the NCAA in service aces (57).

Mercer (18-4, 8-1 SoCon) plays at Chattanooga (13-10, 4-5) on Nov. 1, and at ETSU (13-8, 5-4) on Nov. 2. ETSU hosts Furman (8-10, 2-5) on Oct. 29, and Samford (12-8, 6-4) on Nov. 1.

Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Sadie Gomez (The Citadel), Whitley Rammel (ETSU), Allie Sweet (UNCG), Chard'e Vanzandt (Chattanooga) and Sarah MacLean (Wofford)
 
Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Jaelynn Elgert (The Citadel), MeMe Davis (Mercer), Chloe Nussbaum (UNCG), Paige Gallentine (Chattanooga) and Annemarie Rakoski (Wofford)
 
Also nominated for setter of the week: Belle Hogan (The Citadel), Reese Rhodes (ETSU), Izora Gragg (UNCG), Elaine Redman (Chattanooga) and Maddy Frazier and Taylor Pecht (Wofford)

2024 SoCon Volleyball Offensive Players of the Week 
Sept. 2             Allie Sweet, Fr., OH, UNCG 
Sept. 9             Bradley Brown, Fr., MB, Wofford 

Sept. 16            Skye Ekes, Sr., OH, Mercer

Sept. 23            Ali Ruffin, Sr., OH, The Citadel 

Sept. 30            Ali Morris, Jr., OH, Western Carolina

Oct. 7               Kaleigh Meritt, R-So., OH, Samford  

Oct. 14             Chard'e Vanzandt, Sr., OH, Chattanooga 

Oct. 21             Gracie Lynn Butler, R-So., OH, Samford

Oct. 28             Skyler Bumpers, Sr., MB, Mercer  

 
2024 SoCon Volleyball Defensive Players of the Week 
Sept. 2             MeMe Davis, Fr., L/DS, Mercer

Sept. 9             Kynli Kirkendoll, Fr., MB, Chattanooga
Sept. 16            Janelle Blue, Jr., MB, Western Carolina 

Sept. 23            Laney Klika, So., LIB, Wofford

Sept. 30            Laney Klika, So., LIB, Wofford

Oct. 7               Jaelynn Elgert, Gr., LIB, The Citadel

Oct. 14             Peri Hoshock, So., MB, The Citadel

Oct. 21             Jaelynn Elgert, Gr., LIB, The Citadel

Oct. 28             Abbey Thomas, Sr., MB, ETSU

  
2024 SoCon Volleyball Setters of the Week 
Sept. 2             Elaine Redman, Sr., Chattanooga 

Sept. 9             Elaine Redman, Sr., Chattanooga 

Sept. 16            Brooke Phillips, Gr., Mercer 

Sept. 23            Reese Rhodes, Gr., ETSU 

Sept. 30            Brooke Phillips, Gr., Mercer 

Oct. 7               Lexi Thatcher, So., Samford 

Oct. 14             Elaine Redman, Sr., Chattanooga  

Oct. 21             Lexi Thatcher, So., Samford 

Oct. 28             Brooke Phillips, Gr., Mercer