2019 Sun Belt Volleyball News and Notes:
Standings | Composite Schedule | Stats
AROUND #SUNBELTVB
• Sun Belt Conference volleyball moves into the midway point of the conference slate with 11 pivotal league matches over the next seven days. This week's schedule has four matches slated for live coverage on ESPN+.
• The Sun Belt boasts four teams in the top 105 in the latest
NCAA Division I RPI updated through matches of Oct. 13. – Texas State (52nd), Coastal Carolina (57th), Troy (101st) and Arkansas State (102nd).
• Coastal Carolina (16-2, 6-0 Sun Belt) remains as the only undefeated team in conference play and sits atop the East Division ahead of Troy (15-3, 5-1), South Alabama (14-6, 5-1) and Appalachian State (9-10, 5-1). The Chanticleers enter the week riding a six-match winning streak, which ranks in top 25 in NCAA Division I in active winning streaks.
• Texas State (14-7, 6-1) has separated itself from the pack in the West Division, up three matches in the loss column over UTA (11-8, 3-4) and Arkansas State (11-7, 2-4). The Bobcats are on a roll as of late, having won their last four matches by 3-0 sweeps and seven straight at home. Texas State has won its last 18 conference matches at home, dating back to 2017.
• With a 10-0 mark at home this season, Troy is on its longest home winning streak (11 matches dating back to last season) in Trojan Arena history. The Trojans rank in the top 25 nationally in opponent hitting percentage (21st, .154).
• South Alabama enters the weekend on a four-match winning streak of its own and has won 10 of its last 11 matches. The Jaguars have lost just one set during this streak, which came in a four-set win over Louisiana on Oct. 12.
• The Sun Belt continues to be home to some of the top servers nationally with three ranked in the top 10 in service aces – Texas State senior setter/outside hitter Cheyenne Huskey (t7th, 39), Coastal Carolina freshman setter Brigitta Petrenko (9th, 38) and Appalachian State senior defensive specialist/libero Emma Reilly (t10th, 37).
• Troy sophomore setter Amara Anderson also ranks in the top 10 nationally, placing eighth in assists per set (11.36). She has posted double-doubles in three of her last four matches and enters the weekend tied for the conference lead in double-doubles (9) with Louisiana junior setter Avery Breaux.
• The 2019 Sun Belt Women’s Volleyball Championship, hosted by Texas State, is set for Nov. 21-24 at Strahan Arena at the University Events Center in San Marcos, Texas.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Anett Nemeth, Coastal Carolina (So., OH, Pecel, Hungary)
Coastal Carolina sophomore outside hitter Anett Nemeth posted two double-doubles in the Chanticleers' sweep of Little Rock and Arkansas State. Nemeth opened with 14 kills and 13 digs in the 3-0 win over Little Rock. She topped the weekend with a career-high 30 kills and 11 digs in the 3-1 win over Arkansas State. In the fourth set against the Red Wolves, she connected on four kills over Coastal Carolina's final five points to take the set 25-20 and secure the victory. Nemeth finished had 12 kills and a .588 (12-of-17) hitting percentage in that final set.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ashlyn Roberts, South Alabama (Sr., DS/L, Sneads, Fla.)
South Alabama senior defensive specialist/libero Ashlyn Roberts sparked the Jaguars' defense in three victories, averaging 5.30 digs per set. Roberts put up three-straight, double-digit dig performances with 17 at Southern Miss, 24 against Louisiana and 12 against ULM. Her 24 digs versus the Ragin' Cajuns marked the fourth time this season she recorded 20 or more digs. Roberts added 10 kills, 11 assists and two service aces in the three matches.
SETTER & FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Brigitta Petrenko, Coastal Carolina (Fr., S, Eger, Hungary)
Coastal Carolina freshman setter Brigitta Petrenko had 84 total assists, 25 digs and six service aces in the over Little Rock and Arkansas State. Petrenko posted back-to-back double-doubles, highlighted by a career-high 52 assists in the four-set win over Arkansas State. Petrenko added two kills and six service aces in the two matches.
2019 Weekly Award Winners
Offensive Player
September 2: Cheyenne Hayes, Troy
September 9: Kara Spicer, Appalachian State
September 16: Emma Longley, Appalachian State
September 23: Anett Nemeth, Coastal Carolina
September 30: Cheyenne Huskey, Texas State
October 7: Kelley Hartman, South Alabama
October 14: Anett Nemeth, Coastal Carolina
Defensive Player
September 2: Lauren Bandera, Georgia State
September 9: Emma Reilly, Appalachian State
September 16: Diana Giordani, Little Rock
September 23: Tyeranee Scott, Texas State
September 30: Emma Reilly, Appalachian State
October 7: Baylor Bumford, Georgia Southern
October 14: Ashlyn Roberts, South Alabama
Setter
September 2: Amara Anderson, Troy
September 9: Amara Anderson, Troy
September 16: Brigitta Petrenko, Coastal Carolina
September 23: Amara Anderson, Troy
September 30: Amara Anderson, Troy
October 7: Brigitta Petrenko, Coastal Carolina
October 14: Brigitta Petrenko, Coastal Carolina
Freshman
September 2: Brigitta Petrenko, Coastal Carolina
September 9: Celeste Darling, Louisiana
September 16: Brigitta Petrenko, Coastal Carolina
September 23: Julia Brooks, Troy
September 30: Sam Bickley, Appalachian State
October 7: Sam Bickley, Appalachian State
October 14: Brigitta Petrenko, Coastal Carolina
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Wednesday, October 16
*Appalachian State at Coastal Carolina, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, October 17
*ULM at Georgia Southern (ESPN+), 5:30 p.m.
Friday, October 18
*Coastal Carolina at Appalachian State (ESPN+), 5:30 p.m.
*Louisiana at Georgia Southern, 5:30 p.m.
*ULM at Georgia State, 5:30 p.m.
*South Alabama at UTA, 6:30 p.m.
*Troy at Texas State (ESPN+), 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 19
*Arkansas State at Little Rock, 6:30 p.m.
*South Alabama at Texas State (ESPN+), 6:30 p.m.
*Troy at UTA, 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, October 20
*Louisiana at Georgia State, 11 a.m.
*Sun Belt Conference contest
All Times Central and Subject to Change