NEW ORLEANS – Georgia State’s Akira Burt, Coastal Carolina’s Hatteras Welker and Southern Miss’ Allie Hazelwood each turned in impressive performances to lead in various statistics across the league. They have been named Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Players of the Week.
 
Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week
Akira Burt, Georgia State
(4th Yr., RS, Columbus, Ga.)
 
Georgia State fourth year right side Akira Burt totaled 39 kills, 42.0 points, 19 digs and six total blocks across the two-match weekend at Southern Miss, hitting .257 and averaging 4.88 kills per set. She opened the weekend with a double-double, pacing the Panthers with a match-high 20 kills on .313 hitting and added 10 digs in a 3-1 win. Her 20 kills led a 59-kill team effort that ties for ninth on the Sun Belt's single-match high for kills in a four-set match. The Columbus, Ga., native closed out the week with 19 kills in Friday's match, tying for the match high, including 11 kills on .455 hitting in the opening set. Burt added three block assists in each match and dropped 21.5 and 20.5 points. She currently ranks third in the Sun Belt in kills per set (3.83) and third in points per set (4.39), while nationally she sits 14th in the NCAA with 318 total points and 15th with 275 total kills.
 
Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week
Hatteras Welker, Coastal Carolina
(3rd Yr., MB, Sunbury, Ohio)
 
Coastal Caorlina’s Hatteras Welker led the Chantincleers to their first SBC wins of the season. The third year middle blocker totaled 22 blocks (4 BS, 18 BA) in eight sets played and led all Sun Belt players in total blocks during the week as well as blocks per set (2.75). The Sunbury, Ohio, native anchored the Chanticleer defense that tallied 38 blocks in eight sets, including a school record 20 blocks in Saturday's 3-1 victory. She recorded a career-high 12 blocks in Saturday's win after posting a season-high 10 blocks on Friday night. Welker's defense helped Coastal hold ODU to a SBC weekly-low .033 hitting percentage, while the team averaged a conference-best 4.75 blocks per set.
 
Volleyball Setter of the Week
Allie Hazelwood, Southern Miss
(4th Yr., S, Madison, Miss.)
 
Southern Miss fourth year setter Allie Hazelwood facilitated a Southern Miss offense that totaled a league-leading 120 kills this week to earn her third weekly honor this year, the most by any athlete across the three awards this season. She led the league in total assists for the week with 105 and averaged the most assists per set with 13.13. Hazelwood broke her own record for most assists in a match by an SBC player this season with 61 on Friday to go along with 11 digs for her fifth double-double of the season in a 4-set win over Georgia State.
 
2026 Sun Belt Volleyball Offensive Players of the Week
Week 1 – Kalina Calvillo, Troy
Week 2 – Reagan Barth, Georgia Southern
Week 3 – Sophia Johnson, Georgia State
Week 4 – Kennedy Louisell, James Madison
Week 5 – Kaitlin Whitlock, Arkansas State
Week 6 – Kennedy Louisell, James Madison
Week 7 – Akira Burt, Georgia State
 
2026 Sun Belt Volleyball Defensive Players of the Week
Week 1 – Dalayla Blackwell, South Alabama
Week 2 – Mia Maloney, Arkansas State
Week 3 – MeMe Davis, App State
Week 4 – Ayen Nhial, James Madison
Week 5 – Maddie Cugino, Georgia Southern
Week 6 – Maddie Cugino, Georgia Southern
Week 7 – Hatteras Welker, Coastal Carolina

2026 Sun Belt Volleyball Setters of the Week
Week 1 – Allie Hazelwood, Southern Miss
Week 2 – Kaylee Musick, Coastal Carolina
Week 3 – Raegan Richardson, App State
Week 4 – Anabelle Cerny, South Alabama
Week 5 – Allie Hazelwood, Southern Miss
Week 6 – Lexi Duffy, Georgia Southern
Week 7 – Allie Hazelwood, Southern Miss