Southland Volleyball Week 10 Release (PDF)
FRISCO, Texas – Following a dominant week for both athletes, Lamar senior outside hitter Chelsea Grant and senior middle blocker Justice Walker of Stephen F. Austin were named Southland Conference Volleyball Players of the Week, presented by UniversalCoin.com, the league announced Monday.
Offensive Player of the Week – Chelsea Grant, Lamar
Grant was dominant throughout Lamar’s busy three-match week. In the final match, a narrow five-set loss at McNeese, she set a career-high 28 kills against the Cowgirls and did it with a .368 attack percentage. With her 28 kills, she tied the fourth-highest mark in school history for kills in a single match. Including the McNeese contest, she had more than five kills per set in each match, and 6.3 against Nicholls – also on a .457 attack percentage. Against Abilene Christian, the Killeen native tied her career-best for kills in a three-set match with 15, which she bested against the Colonels with 19. Lamar currently ranks second in the conference with a .226 season hitting percentage.
Honorable Mention: Ashley Vann, Houston Baptist; Justice Walker, Stephen F. Austin; Taylor Cunningham, Sam Houston State
Defensive Player of the Week – Justice Walker, Stephen F. Austin
Doing it on offense and on defense, Walker put on one of the more memorable front row defensive showcases in recent memory by averaging 2.17 blocks per set through a 2-0 week for the Ladyjacks. The Fort Worth, Texas product notched seven total blocks in a 3-0 win over Central Arkansas and added six more against Northwestern State, helping SFA enjoy an 11-1 blocking advantage over the Lady Demons. Walker elevated her blocks per sets average to a Southland Conference-leading mark of 1.28 with her splendid week in the front row. The Ladyjacks rank second in the Southland in opposing hitting percentage (.152).
Honorable Mention: Carlyn Stella, Lamar; Hailey Erickson, Houston Baptist; Taylor Cunningham, Sam Houston State; Sarea Alexander, UIW; Channing Burleson, Northwestern State
Each school’s sports information director nominates and votes for the players of the week, though is not permitted to vote for his or her own player. To receive honorable mention, a player must receive votes from 25 percent of the Southland sports information directors.