Big South Announces Volleyball Players of the Week - Nov. 17

Big South Announces Volleyball Players of the Week - Nov. 17

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) – Winthrop outside hitter/opposite Avery Jolley (Knoxville, Tenn.) has been selected the Big South Volleyball Player of the Week for matches played the final week of the regular-season, it was announced today.  In addition, teammate Rachel McCollum (Lakeland, Tenn.) is the Setter of the Week, while Gardner-Webb’s Nalani McBride (Stafford, Va.) and UNC Asheville’s Michelle Thao (Hickory, N.C.) were voted the Co-Libero of the Week.  High Point middle blocker Maya Bukovcan (Ottawa, Ontario) was selected Freshman of the Week.
 
Jolley helped Winthrop secure the Big South regular-season co-championship and No. 1 seed in this week’s conference tournament with a career-high 30 kills in the Eagles’ 3-2 victory at Gardner-Webb.  She finished with a .333 hitting percentage, averaged 6.0 kills per set, and tallied 14 digs.  In the fourth set with Winthrop trailing, 16-13, Jolley recorded four of the next five kills to flip the momentum en route to a 25-22 set victory.  Jolley’s 30 kills were the most by a Big South player this season, and marked the first 30-kill performance by an Eagle in 21 years.
 
McCollum recorded 45 assists (9.0 per set) plus 19 digs and five blocks in Winthrop’s five-set victory at Gardner-Webb last Friday.  She averaged 3.80 digs per set, and recorded six kills on the offensive end in helping the Eagles win their first regular-season crown since 2019.
 
McBride posted 21 digs and 4.2 digs per set in Gardner-Webb’s five-set defeat against Winthrop.  She also tallied one service ace and handed out six assists while recording a 94.5 reception percentage.
 
Thao led Asheville’s back row with a team-high 15 digs in the Bulldogs’ 3-0 sweep over USC Upstate, which secured the No. 4 seed in this week’s conference championship tournament.
 
Bukovcan hit .500 on the offensive attack (5-0-10) along with two digs and two blocks in helping High Point sweep Radford and clinch a share of the regular-season title.
 
Also Nominated for Player of the Week: Skylar Yates (Charleston Southern), Gia Padilla (High Point), Albertine van der Goot (UNC Asheville) and Ady O’Grady (USC Upstate).
 
Also Nominated for Setter of the Week: Allie Gray (High Point), Paige Rolfsen & Selina Koc (UNC Asheville) and Kamyla Vega David (USC Upstate).
 
Also Nominated for Libero of the Week: Kea Whillock (High Point), Sophia Overholt (USC Upstate) and Sophia Matthews (Winthrop).
 
Also Nominated for Freshman of the Week: Haedyn Crumbley (Gardner-Webb), Sophia Overholt (USC Upstate) and Addison Torain (Winthrop).