2018 Sun Belt Volleyball News and Notes:
Standings | Composite Schedule | Stats |
Championship Information
AROUND #SUNBELTVB
• Sun Belt volleyball has 38 matches this week with six scheduled for live coverage on beIN Sports, ESPN+, ACC Network Plus and the Longhorn Network.
• Georgia State is taking over the NCAA Volleyball Instagram (
@NCAAVolleyball) for the Panthers’ first home match vs. Sam Houston State on Friday, Sept. 7.
• For the second-straight week, the Sun Belt had two teams pull off perfect marks over the previous seven days as Texas State (4-0) and UTA (3-0) captured their respective home tournaments.
• So far this season, the conference has 10 different players who have posted double-doubles. Texas State freshman setter Emily DeWalt leads the way with four.
• The league’s top 10 hitters sit at or above a .320 hitting percentage with only one in the top 10 in both hitting percentage and kills per set. South Alabama junior middle blocker Kelley Hartman, a 2018 Preseason All-Sun Belt selection, is fifth in hitting percentage (.372) and sixth in kills per set (3.16).
• Four Sun Belt players continue to make their marks on their respective school’s records books:
- Arkansas State senior outside hitter Carlisa May is 384 kills away from becoming Red Wolves’ all-time career kills leader.
- Texas State junior defensive specialist Micah Dinwiddle is 540 digs away from becoming the Bobcats’ all-time career digs leader.
- Georgia Southern senior middle hitter Lauren Reichard is 85 blocks away from becoming the Eagles’ all-time career blocks leader.
- Georgia State senior setter Sarah Renner is one assist away from becoming the ninth Panther in school history to reach the 2,000 career assists mark.
• 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 was a force all weekend as she had two double-digit performances during a masterfully efficient weekend, hitting .517 in three matches, including a .692 attack percentage in the finale of the Maverick Classic. Hill opened things up with a 12-kill match against Air Force, adding two assists and two blocks. She bested that performance with 13 kills against Loyola Maryland, having just one error in 26 attacks. Hill closed the weekend with a perfect performance with nine kills on 13 attacks with no errors and provided two aces.
| 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 |
| Aug 31 vs. Air Force W, 3-0 |
3 |
12 |
4.00 |
2 |
21 |
.476 |
2 |
0.67 |
0 |
0.00 |
4 |
1.33 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0.67 |
13.0 |
4.3 |
| Sep 1 vs. Loyola (Md.) W, 3-1 |
4 |
13 |
3.25 |
1 |
26 |
.462 |
2 |
0.50 |
0 |
0.00 |
2 |
0.50 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
0.75 |
15.0 |
3.8 |
| Sep 1 vs. Binghamton W, 3-0 |
3 |
9 |
3.00 |
0 |
13 |
.692 |
0 |
0.00 |
2 |
0.67 |
4 |
1.33 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.00 |
11.0 |
3.7 |
| Overall |
10 |
34 |
3.40 |
3 |
60 |
.517 |
4 |
0.40 |
2 |
0.20 |
10 |
1.00 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
0.50 |
39.0 |
3.9 |
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Madison Daigle, Texas State (Sr., MB, Baton Rouge, La.)
Texas State senior middle blocker Madison Daigle registered 24 blocks (1.60/set) and 13 digs (0.87/set) to help lead the Bobcats to the only 4-0 week in the Sun Belt. Daigle began with six blocks, four digs and a career-high 16 kills in a win over UTSA. She then recorded a career-high six digs in a 3-1 triumph over James Madison. Daigle closed out her week with 14 kills, eight blocks and three digs against Abilene Christian. For her performances, she was named to the Creeds & Crests Classic All-Tournament Team.
| Daigle'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 |
| Aug 30 vs. UTSA W, 3-1 |
4 |
16 |
4.00 |
3 |
30 |
.433 |
4 |
1.00 |
0 |
0.00 |
4 |
1.00 |
0 |
6 |
6 |
1.50 |
19.0 |
4.8 |
| Aug 31 vs. James Madison W, 3-1 |
4 |
5 |
1.25 |
3 |
11 |
.182 |
1 |
0.25 |
0 |
0.00 |
6 |
1.50 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
0.75 |
7.0 |
1.8 |
| Sep 1 vs. Incarnate Word W, 3-0 |
3 |
9 |
3.00 |
2 |
16 |
.438 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
7 |
7 |
2.33 |
12.5 |
4.2 |
| Sep 1 vs. Abilene Christian W, 3-1 |
4 |
14 |
3.50 |
1 |
27 |
.481 |
1 |
0.25 |
2 |
0.50 |
3 |
0.75 |
1 |
7 |
8 |
2.00 |
20.5 |
5.1 |
| Overall |
15 |
44 |
2.93 |
9 |
84 |
.417 |
6 |
0.40 |
2 |
0.13 |
13 |
0.87 |
2 |
22 |
24 |
1.60 |
59.0 |
3.9 |
CO-SETTER OF THE WEEK
Becky Porter, Appalachian State (Sr., S, Charlotte, N.C.)
Appalachian State senior setter Becky Porter tallied 124 total assists (11.27/set) in three matches of the Mountaineers’ home invitational. Porter posted a double-double with 54 assists and 10 digs against Clemson, while dishing out 37 assists against Davidson (12.33/set) and 33 assists against Mississippi State (11.00/set).
| Porter'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 |
| Aug 31 vs. Davidson W, 3-0 |
3 |
5 |
1.67 |
1 |
11 |
.364 |
37 |
12.33 |
0 |
0.00 |
7 |
2.33 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.00 |
5.0 |
1.7 |
| Sep 1 vs. Clemson L, 3-2 |
5 |
4 |
0.80 |
1 |
12 |
.250 |
54 |
10.80 |
1 |
0.20 |
10 |
2.00 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0.20 |
5.5 |
1.1 |
| Sep 1 vs. Mississippi St. L, 3-0 |
3 |
4 |
1.33 |
0 |
10 |
.400 |
33 |
11.00 |
0 |
0.00 |
4 |
1.33 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.00 |
4.0 |
1.3 |
| Overall |
11 |
13 |
1.18 |
2 |
33 |
.333 |
124 |
11.27 |
1 |
0.09 |
21 |
1.91 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0.09 |
14.5 |
1.3 |
CO-SETTER & FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Emily DeWalt, Texas State (Fr., S, Helotes, Texas)
Texas State freshman setter Emily DeWalt was named the Most Valuable Player of the Creeds & Crests Classic after leading the Bobcats to a perfect week. DeWalt recorded double-doubles in all four matches and finished with 166 assists (11.07/set), 57 digs (3.80/set), 11 kills (0.73/set), 10 blocks (0.67) and eight aces (0.53/set). Her week began with a 47-assist, 24-dig performance in a four-set triumph over rival UTSA. Her dig total was the highest by a Bobcat setter since 2007. She also recorded 39 assists, 10 digs, four blocks and three aces in a win over James Madison. DeWalt concluded the tournament with 44 assists, 13 digs, five kills, three aces and three blocks in the win over Abilene Christian.
| 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 |
| Aug 30 vs. UTSA W, 3-1 |
4 |
1 |
0.25 |
1 |
6 |
.000 |
47 |
11.75 |
1 |
0.25 |
24 |
6.00 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0.50 |
3.0 |
0.8 |
| Aug 31 vs. James Madison W, 3-1 |
4 |
2 |
0.50 |
0 |
7 |
.286 |
39 |
9.75 |
3 |
0.75 |
10 |
2.50 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
1.00 |
7.5 |
1.9 |
| Sep 1 vs. Incarnate Word W, 3-0 |
3 |
3 |
1.00 |
2 |
5 |
.200 |
36 |
12.00 |
1 |
0.33 |
10 |
3.33 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0.33 |
4.5 |
1.5 |
| Sep 1 vs. Abilene Christian W, 3-1 |
4 |
5 |
1.25 |
1 |
8 |
.500 |
44 |
11.00 |
3 |
0.75 |
13 |
3.25 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
0.75 |
9.5 |
2.4 |
| Overall |
15 |
11 |
0.73 |
4 |
26 |
.269 |
166 |
11.07 |
8 |
0.53 |
57 |
3.80 |
1 |
9 |
10 |
0.67 |
24.5 |
1.6 |
2018 Weekly Award Winners
Offensive Player
August 27: Anett Nemeth, Coastal Carolina
September 3: Madison Hill, UTA
Defensive Player
August 27: Tatum Ticknor, Arkansas State
September 3: Madison Daigle, Texas State
Setter
August 27: Ellie Watkins, Arkansas State
September 3: Becky Porter, Appalachian State and Emily DeWalt, Texas State
Freshman
August 27: Anett Nemeth, Coastal Carolina
September 3: Emily DeWalt, Texas State
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Tuesday, September 4
ULM at Stephen F. Austin (ESPN+), 5:00 p.m.
1-North Florida at Georgia Southern (ESPN+), 5:30 p.m.
Louisiana at Southern, 6:00 p.m.
Texas State at Rice (beIN), 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, September 6
2-Little Rock at Central Arkansas, 7:00 p.m.
3-Arkansas State at UMKC, 7:00 p.m.
Texas State at No. 6 Texas (Longhorn Network), 7:00 p.m.
Friday, September 7
4-Coastal Carolina vs. East Tennessee State (ACC+), 9:00 a.m.
5-Appalachian State vs. Utah Valley, 10:00 a.m.
6-ULM at Memphis, 10:00 a.m.
7-Louisiana vs. Montana State, 10:00 a.m.
8-Southeastern Louisiana at South Alabama, 11:30 a.m.
3-Arkansas State vs. Southeast Missouri State, 1:30 p.m.
2-Little Rock vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 3:00 p.m.
9-Troy vs. North Dakota, 3:00 p.m.
3-Arkansas State vs. Providence, 4:30 p.m.
6-ULM vs. North Alabama, 4:30 p.m.
10-Sam Houston State at Georgia State, 5:30 p.m.
4-Coastal Carolina at Duke (ACC+), 6:00 p.m.
7-Louisiana at TCU, 6:00 p.m.
UTA at Incarnate Word, 6:00 p.m.
11-Georgia Southern vs. Akron, 6:00 p.m.
8-Mississippi State at South Alabama, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, September 8
11-Georgia Southern at Wake Forest, 10:00 a.m.
6-ULM vs. Tennessee Tech, 10:00 a.m.
4-Coastal Carolina vs. Cincinnati (ACC+), 11:00 a.m.
10-Chicago State at Georgia State, 11:00 a.m.
2-Little Rock vs. South Dakota, 11:00 a.m.
7-Louisiana vs. SMU, 11:00 a.m.
9-Troy at Clemson (ACC+), 11:30 a.m.
5-Appalachian State vs. Wright State, 1:00 p.m.
8-Louisiana Tech at South Alabama, 2:30 p.m.
9-Troy vs. UAB, 3:00 p.m.
3-Arkansas State vs. SIUE, 3:30 p.m.
No. 16 Kentucky at Texas State, 4:00 p.m.
11-Georgia Southern vs. Elon, 4:00 p.m.
5-Appalachian State at Campbell, 5:00 p.m.
10-Ole Miss at Georgia State, 5:30 p.m.
Key:
1 - Savannah, Ga.
2 - UCA Invitational (Conway, Ark.)
3 - Kangaroo Classic (Kansas City, Mo.)
4 - Duke Tournament (Durham, N.C.)
5 - Campbell Tournament (Buies Creek, N.C.)
6 - Memphis Invitational (Memphis, Tenn.)
7 - TCU Fight in the Fort (Fort Worth, Texas)
8 - Jaguar Invitational (Mobile, Ala.)
9 - Big Orange Bash (Clemson, S.C.)
10 - GSU Invitational (Atlanta, Ga.)
11 - Wake Forest Invitational (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
All Times are Central and Subject to Change