2019 Sun Belt Volleyball News and Notes:
Standings | Composite Schedule | Stats
AROUND #SUNBELTVB
• Sun Belt Conference volleyball closes the regular season with 10 matches on the schedule.
• Spots in the field for the 2019 Sun Belt Volleyball Championship are still up for grabs going into the weekend. West Division leader Texas State (21-8, 13-2 Sun Belt), East Division co-leaders Coastal Carolina (21-5, 11-3) and South Alabama (20-8, 11-3) and Troy (21-6, 10-4) have secured spots, though the seedings are still to be determined.
• Texas State has clinched at least a share of the regular-season title and captures the crown outright with a win in its finale against UTA (16-11, 8-7).
• Coastal Carolina, South Alabama and Troy are set to settle the East Division's top three spots as each plays the other two over the weekend. Appalachian State (11-16, 7-7) is poised to finish fourth in the division but needs a strong finish to secure one of the spots in the conference tournament.
• Troy had its program-record home winning streak of 15 matches stopped by South Alabama in the Jaguars' 3-1 victory on Nov. 8.
• UTA, Louisiana (12-15, 8-6) and Arkansas State (15-11, 6-8) are also in contention to grab a spot in the tournament field. The Ragin' Cajuns are in position to finish second in the West Division with a weekend sweep or one win combined with a UTA loss. The Mavericks would need to win in its finale at Texas State and have Louisiana drop its final two to take second in the division.
• The eight-team Sun Belt Championship field consists of the top two teams in each division and the next best four teams based on conference winning percentage regardless of division.
• The Sun Belt boasts three teams in the top 100 in the latest
NCAA Division I RPI updated through matches of Nov. 10 – Texas State (44th), Coastal Carolina (60th) and Troy (81st).
• Troy sophomore setter Amara Anderson continues to be one of the top setters in Division I, entering the week ranked 11th in assists per set (11.45).
• Coastal Carolina sophomore outside hitter Anett Nemeth is continuing to climb the national list in kills per set, ranking 12th at 4.71 per set. Nemeth ranks ninth nationally in points per set (5.46).
• Coastal Carolina sits second in Division I in service aces per set (2.05) and team service aces (205).
• The Sun Belt continues to be home to some of the top servers nationally with three ranked in the top 13 in service aces – Coastal Carolina freshman setter Brigitta Petrenko (3rd, 58), Appalachian State senior defensive specialist/libero Emma Reilly (10th, 52) and Texas State senior setter/outside hitter Cheyenne Huskey (t13th, 48).
• 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
Hali Wisnoskie, Louisiana (Jr., OH, Columbus, Texas)
Louisiana junior outside hitter Hali Wisnoskie continued the revival of her All-Sun Belt caliber of play from the previous two seasons, averaging 4.43 kills per set for the second consecutive weekend, in the Ragin' Cajuns' two wins over ULM. Wisnoskie posted a .308 hitting percentage and delivered match highs of 19 and 12 kills in back-to-back matches. She extended her current streak of consecutive matches reaching double digits to eight straight dating back to Oct. 18. Wisnoskie's production in the first match against the Warhawks marked her third-consecutive outing with at least 18 kills. In the second match, she reached double digits in kills the quickest this season, reaching 10 kills by her 21st attack attempt.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Madelyn St. Germain, UTA (RJr., L, League City, Texas)
UTA redshirt junior libero Madelyn St. Germain once again paced the Mavericks' defense, averaging 6.38 digs per set over her two-match week. St. Germain totaled 28 digs and eight assists in the five-set thriller with Arkansas State. She followed that up with 23 digs and a pair of assists in the three-set win over Little Rock.
SETTER OF THE WEEK
Emily DeWalt, Texas State (So., S, Helotes, Texas)
Texas State sophomore setter Emily DeWalt directed the Bobcats' offense with 11.57 assists per set and finished the weekend with a .364 hitting percentage behind six kills on 11 attempts in a weekend sweep of Little Rock and Arkansas State. DeWalt also finished with 2.29 digs per set, one service ace and one block. In the Sun Belt regular-season title-clinching match against Arkansas State, DeWalt turned in her 11th double-double of the season with 46 assists and 10 digs.
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Julia Brooks, Troy (Fr., MH, St. Louis, Mo.)
Troy freshman middle hitter Julia Brooks recorded double-digit kills in back-to-back matches with identical 11-kill performances against Alabama State and South Alabama. Brooks was strong at the net in both matches as well, finishing with nine total blocks, including seven against Alabama State.
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
October 21: Anett Nemeth, Coastal Carolina
October 28: Anett Nemeth, Coastal Carolina
November 4: Carol Barbosa, Little Rock
November 11: Hali Wisnoskie, Louisiana
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
October 21: Lacey Jeffcoat, Troy
October 28: Diana Giordani, Little Rock
November 4: Madelyn St. Germain, UTA
November 11: Madelyn St. Germain, UTA
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
October 21: Emily DeWalt, Texas State
October 28: Emily DeWalt, Texas State
November 4: Amara Anderson, Troy
November 11: Emily DeWalt, Texas State
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
October 21: Brigitta Petrenko, Coastal Carolina
October 28: Lauren Teske, Texas State
November 4: Janae Thurston, Little Rock
November 11: Julia Brooks, Troy
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Friday, November 15
*Louisiana at Arkansas State, 5 p.m.
*South Alabama at Appalachian State, 5:30 p.m.
*Troy at Coastal Carolina, 5:30 p.m.
*Georgia Southern at Georgia State, 5:30 p.m.
*ULM at Little Rock, 6:30 p.m.
*UTA at Texas State (ESPN+), 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, November 16
*Louisiana at Little Rock, 6:30 p.m.
*ULM at Arkansas State, 7 p.m.
Sunday, November 17
*Troy at Appalachian State, 11:30 a.m.
*South Alabama at Coastal Carolina, 11:30 a.m.
*Sun Belt Conference contest
All Times Central and Subject to Change