FRISCO, Texas — Southeastern's Kyra McKelvey, UTRGV's Julianna Bryant and Lana Rnjak have been named this week's Southland Volleyball Players of the Week, the conference office announced Monday. Rnjak is a four-time winner this season, McKelvey is a second-time winner and Braynt took home the honor for the frst time.

Offensive Player of the Week: Kyra McKelvey, Southeastern – Sr. – Opp. – Navarre, Fla. (Navarre High School)
In the sixth and seventh straight wins of SLU's streak, McKelvey averaged 3.88 kills per set with 35 kills during the week. The senior totaled 12 blocks and 13 digs in the Lions' wins over UIW and HCU. McKelvey began the week with a match-high 22 kills in the win over UIW, then finished the week with a match-high 13 kills against HCU. Her 3.38 kills-per-set average is the fourth-best in the SLC, with a total of 270 kills for second in the SLC. McKelvey has been named Southland Offenisve Player of the Week in two of the last three weeks.
Honorable mention: Calissa Allison, UIW

Defensive Player of the Week: Julianna Bryant, UTRGV – R-Jr. – MB – Harlingen, Texas (Harlingen High School)
Bryant recorded 15 total blocks in two wins, including a career-high 10 against SFA on 10/15 that tied for the seventh-most in a match in program history and tied for the most by a player in a Southland match this season. She had one solo block and nine block assists against SFA, then added 5 blocks against Lamar on 10/17. Bryant leads the SLC in blocks per set in league matches at 1.50. On offense, she had 13 kills on 28 attacks (.321) against SFA and added 6 kills against Lamar, finishing the week with 19 kills.
Honorable mention: Sophia Tocmo, McNeese

Setter of the Week: Lana Rnjak, UTRGV – Fr. – S – Pancevo, Serbia
Rnjak recorded 69 assists in two wins, a 3-1 victory over SFA on 10/15 and a 3-0 sweep of Lamar on 10/17, averaging 9.86 assists per set on the week. She had 40 assists against SFA, her fifth match with at least 40 assists this season, along with 4 kills, 6 digs and 5 blocks. She added 29 assists, 7 digs and 2 kills against Lamar. Rnjak finished the week with 3 service aces as UTRGV improved to 8-0 in the Southland Conference and sits alone atop the standings. She leads the conference in assists per set at 11.19 in league matches. The freshman is the only Southland player to win a weekly award four times this season.
Honorable mention: Calissa Allison, UIW

2026 Southland Volleyball Players of the Week

Date	Offensive	Defensive	Setter
Aug. 31	Ariana Brown, East Texas A&M	Jade Washington, East Texas A&M	Isabella Padilla Nicholls
Sept. 7	Ariana Brown, East Texas A&M	Jade Washington, East Texas A&M	Lana Rjnak, UTRGV
Sept. 14	Olivia Nzioki, Northwestern State	Emmarie McFarland, Northwestern State	Ava Hight, A&M-Corpus Christi
Sept. 21	Katherine Holtman, SFA	Sophia Tocmo, McNeese	Jade Longlad, Northwestern State
Sept. 28	Maja Malinowska, Lamar	Ashton Rogers, UIW	Lana Rnjak, UTRGV
Oct. 5	Kyra McKelvey, Southeastern	Jordan Henderson, SFA	Lana Rnjak, UTRGV
Oct. 12	Gracie Brown, Southeastern	Ashton Rogers, UIW	Calissa Allison, UIW
Oct. 19	Kyra McKelvey, Southeastern	Julianna Bryant, UTRGV	Lana Rnjak, UTRGV