2018 Sun Belt Volleyball News and Notes:
Standings | Composite Schedule | Stats |
Championship Information
AROUND #SUNBELTVB
• Sun Belt volleyball moves through a crucial portion of the schedule with 13 conference matches on the docket this week, featuring three matchups set for live coverage on ESPN+.
• The division races are shaping up as Appalachian State (15-7, 7-3 Sun Belt) is up one match in the loss column over Coastal Carolina (6-11, 5-4) and up two matches in the loss column over South Alabama (11-12, 5-5). Over in West Division, Texas State (20-5, 11-0) continues its winning ways entering the week on a 15-match unbeaten streak and atop the standings over second-place Little Rock (14-8, 6-3).
• Texas State’s winning streak is currently tied for the seventh-longest active streak in NCAA Division I with UCF, sitting behind Pittsburgh (22), BYU (20), Stephen F. Austin (20), Denver (18), Cal Poly (18) and Stanford (16).
• Texas State remained 28th in the latest
NCAA Division I RPI updated through matches of Oct. 21. The Bobcats jumped to 22nd in this week’s
VolleyMag.com Mid-Major Poll presented by the NIVC.
• ULM (9-14, 2-8) is coming off its best week of the season, earning its first home wins and a weekend sweep for the first time since the 2016 season.
• The Sun Belt continues to feature two of the top players in the country in Little Rock senior middle blocker Veronica Marin and Arkansas State senior outside hitter Carlisa May. Marin leads the nation in total blocks (141) and is fourth in blocks per set (1.64) and 29th in hitting percentage (.379). In addition to being among the top 11 nationally this season in six different categories, May is among the active career leaders in her final season with the Red Wolves – second in kills (1,701), fifth in total attacks (4,225) and 10th in kills per set (4.08).
• Georgia Southern senior middle blocker Lauren Reichard broke the school’s career blocks record on Oct. 16 against South Carolina State. Reichard now has 472 total blocks, passing the mark of 462 set by Jennifer Charles (2003-06).
• The 2018 Sun Belt Women’s Volleyball Championship is set for Nov. 15-18 at the GSU Sports Arena in Atlanta, Ga., hosted by Georgia State.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Madison Hill, UTA (Jr., MB, Rockwall, Texas)
UTA junior middle blocker Madison Hill hit .452 as the Mavericks split a pair of weekend matches on the road. In the sweep at Troy, Hill registered nine kills and a .316 hitting percentage with a match-high six blocks. At South Alabama, she finished with a match-high 15 kills and hit .565, adding three blocks and a pair of digs. Hill has recorded double-digit kills on 10 occasions this season, including six times during Sun Belt play.
| Hill's Weekly Stats |
| Match |
s |
k |
k/s |
e |
ta |
pct |
a |
a/s |
sa |
sa/s |
digs |
d/s |
bs |
ba |
tot |
b/s |
pts |
pts/s |
| Oct 19 at Troy W, 3-0 |
3 |
9 |
3.00 |
3 |
19 |
.316 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0.00 |
1 |
0.33 |
0 |
6 |
6 |
2.00 |
12.0 |
4.0 |
| Oct 20 at South Alabama L, 3-1 |
4 |
15 |
3.75 |
2 |
23 |
.565 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0.00 |
2 |
0.50 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
0.75 |
16.5 |
4.1 |
| Overall |
7 |
24 |
3.43 |
5 |
42 |
.452 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0.00 |
3 |
0.43 |
0 |
9 |
9 |
1.29 |
28.5 |
4.1 |
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sydney Davis, Louisiana (Sr., LB, Baton Rouge, La.)
Louisiana senior libero Sydney Davis became the school’s rally scoring era career digs leader and helped lead the Ragin' Cajuns to their first Sun Belt weekend sweep of the season. With a 40-dig effort over the weekend, Davis pushed her career total to 1,888 which surpasses the previous rally era standard of 1,863 set by Lindsay Brown (2007-10). She collected 24 digs (6.00/set) against Georgia State, with 11 digs coming in the tiebreaking third set victory. Davis picked up 16 digs against Georgia Southern, highlighted by another 11-dig effort in the third set.
| Davis' Weekly Stats |
| Match |
s |
k |
k/s |
e |
ta |
pct |
a |
a/s |
sa |
sa/s |
digs |
d/s |
bs |
ba |
tot |
b/s |
pts |
pts/s |
| Oct 19 vs. Georgia State W, 3-1 |
4 |
1 |
0.25 |
0 |
1 |
1.000 |
2 |
0.50 |
0 |
0.00 |
24 |
6.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.00 |
1.0 |
0.3 |
| Oct 20 vs. Georgia Southern W, 3-0 |
3 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
- |
3 |
1.00 |
0 |
0.00 |
16 |
5.33 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.00 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
| Overall |
7 |
1 |
0.14 |
0 |
1 |
1.000 |
5 |
0.71 |
0 |
0.00 |
40 |
5.71 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.00 |
1.0 |
0.1 |
SETTER OF THE WEEK
Emily DeWalt, Texas State (Fr., S, Helotes, Texas)
Texas State freshman setter Emily DeWalt posted 79 assists (11.29/set), 18 digs (2.57/set), six blocks (0.86/set) and five kills (0.71/set) to lead the Bobcats to a perfect road trip to Alabama. DeWalt led an offense that registered 14.71 kills/set on a .320 hitting clip. Texas State hit above .300 in both matches. She tallied 49 assists, seven digs and a career-high five blocks in a four-set win at South Alabama. DeWalt then posted 30 assists and 11 digs at Troy for her Sun Belt-leading 16th double-double of the season.
| DeWalt's Weekly Stats |
| Match |
s |
k |
k/s |
e |
ta |
pct |
a |
a/s |
sa |
sa/s |
digs |
d/s |
bs |
ba |
tot |
b/s |
pts |
pts/s |
| Oct 19 at South Alabama W, 3-1 |
4 |
1 |
0.25 |
0 |
6 |
.167 |
49 |
12.25 |
1 |
0.25 |
7 |
1.75 |
0 |
5 |
5 |
1.25 |
4.5 |
1.1 |
| Oct 20 at Troy W, 3-0 |
3 |
4 |
1.33 |
1 |
8 |
.375 |
30 |
10.00 |
0 |
0.00 |
11 |
3.67 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0.33 |
4.5 |
1.5 |
| Overall |
7 |
5 |
0.71 |
1 |
14 |
.286 |
79 |
11.29 |
1 |
0.14 |
18 |
2.57 |
0 |
6 |
6 |
0.86 |
9.0 |
1.3 |
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Kate Blasingame, ULM (Fr., OH, Plano, Texas)
ULM freshman outside hitter Kate Blasingame played lights out with back-to-back double-doubles as she led the Warhawks to their first two Sun Belt wins of the season. Blasingame posted consecutive double-double performances for the second time this year, bringing her season total to five. Her 14 kills in each match were season highs and the seventh time this year she hit double-digit kills. Blasingame’s 18 digs against Georgia State tied for a season-high as well.
| Blasingame's Weekly Stats |
| Match |
s |
k |
k/s |
e |
ta |
pct |
a |
a/s |
sa |
sa/s |
digs |
d/s |
bs |
ba |
tot |
b/s |
pts |
pts/s |
| Oct 18 vs. Georgia State W, 3-1 |
4 |
14 |
3.50 |
2 |
34 |
.353 |
2 |
0.50 |
0 |
0.00 |
18 |
4.50 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0.25 |
14.5 |
3.6 |
| Oct 19 vs. Georgia Southern W, 3-1 |
4 |
14 |
3.50 |
3 |
38 |
.289 |
1 |
0.25 |
2 |
0.50 |
15 |
3.75 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
0.75 |
17.5 |
4.4 |
| Overall |
8 |
28 |
3.50 |
5 |
72 |
.319 |
3 |
0.38 |
2 |
0.25 |
33 |
4.13 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
0.50 |
32.0 |
4.0 |
2018 Weekly Award Winners
Offensive Player
August 27: Anett Nemeth, Coastal Carolina
September 3: Madison Hill, UTA
September 10: Amy Pflughaupt, Texas State
September 17: Cheyenne Huskey, Texas State
September 24: Carlisa May, Arkansas State
October 1: Janell Fitzgerald, Texas State
October 8: Cheyenne Hayes, Troy
October 15: Carlisa May, Arkansas State
October 22: Madison Hill, UTA
Defensive Player
August 27: Tatum Ticknor, Arkansas State
September 3: Madison Daigle, Texas State
September 10: Veronica Marin, Little Rock
September 17: Madelyn St. Germain, UTA
September 24: Veronica Marin, Little Rock
October 1: Madelyn St. Germain, UTA
October 8: Veronica Marin, Little Rock and Sydney Alvis, Coastal Carolina
October 15: Veronica Marin, Little Rock
October 22: Sydney Davis, Louisiana
Setter
August 27: Ellie Watkins, Arkansas State
September 3: Becky Porter, Appalachian State and Emily DeWalt, Texas State
September 10: Becky Porter, Appalachian State
September 17: Emily DeWalt, Texas State
September 24: Emily DeWalt, Texas State
October 1: Emily DeWalt, Texas State
October 8: Amara Anderson, Troy
October 15: Amara Anderson, Troy
October 22: Emily DeWalt, Texas State
Freshman
August 27: Anett Nemeth, Coastal Carolina
September 3: Emily DeWalt, Texas State
September 10: Anett Nemeth, Coastal Carolina
September 17: Emily DeWalt, Texas State
September 24: Emily DeWalt, Texas State
October 1: Anett Nemeth, Coastal Carolina and Emily DeWalt, Texas State
October 8: Anett Nemeth, Coastal Carolina
October 15: Emily DeWalt, Texas State
October 22: Kate Blasingame, ULM
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Tuesday, October 23
*Coastal Carolina at Georgia Southern, 5:00 p.m.
Friday, October 26
*South Alabama at Appalachian State (ESPN+), 5:30 p.m.
*Troy at Coastal Carolina, 5:30 p.m.
*Little Rock at Georgia Southern (ESPN+), 5:30 p.m.
*Arkansas State at Georgia State, 5:30 p.m.
*ULM at UTA, 6:30 p.m.
*Louisiana at Texas State, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 27
*Arkansas State at Georgia Southern , 5:30 p.m.
*Little Rock at Georgia State, 6:00 p.m.
*Louisiana at UTA, 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, October 28
*Troy at Appalachian State (ESPN+), 11:30 a.m.
*South Alabama at Coastal Carolina, 11:30 a.m.
*ULM at Texas State, Noon
*Sun Belt Conference contest
All Times are Central and Subject to Change
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Tuesday, October 23
*Coastal Carolina at Georgia Southern, 5:00 p.m.
Friday, October 26
*South Alabama at Appalachian State (ESPN+), 5:30 p.m.
*Troy at Coastal Carolina, 5:30 p.m.
*Little Rock at Georgia Southern (ESPN+), 5:30 p.m.
*Arkansas State at Georgia State, 5:30 p.m.
*ULM at UTA, 6:30 p.m.
*Louisiana at Texas State, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 27
*Arkansas State at Georgia Southern, 5:30 p.m.
*Little Rock at Georgia State, 6:00 p.m.
*Louisiana at UTA, 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, October 28
*Troy at Appalachian State (ESPN+), 11:30 a.m.
*South Alabama at Coastal Carolina, 11:30 a.m.
*ULM at Texas State, Noon
*Sun Belt Conference contest
All Times are Central and Subject to Change