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SoCon volleyball players of the week announced
Bumpers, DeLancey and McCarles honored
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its volleyball players of the week on Monday for matches played Oct. 9-15. Mercer middle blocker Skyler Bumpers was named the Offensive Player of the Week and The Citadel middle blocker Gina DeLancey 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.
Bumpers averaged 3.63 kills per set with a .481 hitting percentage last week as Mercer went 2-0. The Bears won in five sets at Samford on Thursday, before defeating Chattanooga in straight sets on Sunday. The Mobile, Alabama, native had 14 kills, five total blocks and three digs in the match with Samford. Three days later, the junior logged 15 kills with a .636 hitting percentage, two blocks and a dig. Bumpers is currently second in the SoCon in hitting percentage (.391) and fifth in blocks per set (0.96).
DeLancey anchored the Bulldog defense at the net as The Citadel picked up two road wins last week. The Bulldogs defeated Furman in a five-set thriller on Friday and swept ETSU on Saturday. The graduate student finished with seven blocks, two solo, and eight kills against the Paladins. The Bulldogs faced match point five times in the third set before a block by DeLancey and teammate Belle Hogan ended the frame 29-27 in favor of The Citadel. Against ETSU, the Arlington, Virginia, native had seven kills, three blocks and a dig. DeLancey is third in the conference in blocks per set. (0.97).
McCarles averaged 12.13 assists per set to pace the Mercer offense. The sophomore finished with 50 assists, three blocks, two kills, two aces and two digs against Samford. Mercer’s win at Samford marked the first road win for the Bears against the Bulldogs since 1996. The Ontario, Canada, native logged 47 assists, six digs and a block in the contest with Chattanooga.
Mercer (10-9, 6-2 SoCon) travels to UNCG (1-18, 0-8) on Oct. 20 and Wofford (15-4, 6-2) on Oct. 21. The Citadel (20-0, 8-0), who remains as one of three teams undefeated in the country, hosts Samford (9-11, 4-4) on Oct. 20 and Chattanooga (15-8, 3-5) on Oct. 21.
Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Ali Ruffin (The Citadel), Brianna Cantrell (ETSU), Mary Beth Headley (Furman), Hallie Cook (UNCG), Kaleigh Merritt (Samford), Morgan Romano (Chattanooga), Bailey Hartsough (Western Carolina) and Sarah Barham (Wofford)
Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Kennedy Seekford (Furman), Gia Padilla (Mercer), Mya Wood (UNCG), Kate Morgan (Samford), Paige Gallentine (Chattanooga), Livi Weidmann (Western Carolina) and Abbey Richman (Wofford)
Also nominated for setter of the week: Belle Hogan (The Citadel), Malgorzata Andersohn (ETSU), Ella Abraham (Furman), Mallory Meers (UNCG), Kayla Keshock (Samford), Elaine Redman (Chattanooga), Sarah Janourova (Western Carolina) and Emily Hodsdon (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
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
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
Bumpers averaged 3.63 kills per set with a .481 hitting percentage last week as Mercer went 2-0. The Bears won in five sets at Samford on Thursday, before defeating Chattanooga in straight sets on Sunday. The Mobile, Alabama, native had 14 kills, five total blocks and three digs in the match with Samford. Three days later, the junior logged 15 kills with a .636 hitting percentage, two blocks and a dig. Bumpers is currently second in the SoCon in hitting percentage (.391) and fifth in blocks per set (0.96).
DeLancey anchored the Bulldog defense at the net as The Citadel picked up two road wins last week. The Bulldogs defeated Furman in a five-set thriller on Friday and swept ETSU on Saturday. The graduate student finished with seven blocks, two solo, and eight kills against the Paladins. The Bulldogs faced match point five times in the third set before a block by DeLancey and teammate Belle Hogan ended the frame 29-27 in favor of The Citadel. Against ETSU, the Arlington, Virginia, native had seven kills, three blocks and a dig. DeLancey is third in the conference in blocks per set. (0.97).
McCarles averaged 12.13 assists per set to pace the Mercer offense. The sophomore finished with 50 assists, three blocks, two kills, two aces and two digs against Samford. Mercer’s win at Samford marked the first road win for the Bears against the Bulldogs since 1996. The Ontario, Canada, native logged 47 assists, six digs and a block in the contest with Chattanooga.
Mercer (10-9, 6-2 SoCon) travels to UNCG (1-18, 0-8) on Oct. 20 and Wofford (15-4, 6-2) on Oct. 21. The Citadel (20-0, 8-0), who remains as one of three teams undefeated in the country, hosts Samford (9-11, 4-4) on Oct. 20 and Chattanooga (15-8, 3-5) on Oct. 21.
Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Ali Ruffin (The Citadel), Brianna Cantrell (ETSU), Mary Beth Headley (Furman), Hallie Cook (UNCG), Kaleigh Merritt (Samford), Morgan Romano (Chattanooga), Bailey Hartsough (Western Carolina) and Sarah Barham (Wofford)
Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Kennedy Seekford (Furman), Gia Padilla (Mercer), Mya Wood (UNCG), Kate Morgan (Samford), Paige Gallentine (Chattanooga), Livi Weidmann (Western Carolina) and Abbey Richman (Wofford)
Also nominated for setter of the week: Belle Hogan (The Citadel), Malgorzata Andersohn (ETSU), Ella Abraham (Furman), Mallory Meers (UNCG), Kayla Keshock (Samford), Elaine Redman (Chattanooga), Sarah Janourova (Western Carolina) and Emily Hodsdon (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
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
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