Nov. 28, 2011
IRVING, Texas -
SMU senior Jessica Oliver has been named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week after guiding the Mustangs to a two-match series sweep over C-USA regular season champion Tulsa. Oliver accounted for 17 kills in the 3-2 victory Saturday. Earning Defensive Player of the Week accolades was UAB's senior Heather Thomas. Thomas ended her career with a season-high 30 digs (7.50 digs per set) against Memphis. She also rounds out her career with 2,131 career digs, fourth-most in Conference USA history. Freshman Sammie Bane of Marshall was tagged as Setter of the Week after dishing out 12.43 assists per set in the team's wins over East Carolina and West Virginia.
C-USA WEEKLY VOLLEYBALL AWARDS
for matches played from Nov. 21-27_Week 14
C-USA Volleyball Players of the Week_PDF
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
JESSICA OLIVER, SMU / 6-1, SR., OH / PLANO, TEXAS
Oliver led SMU to a 3-2 victory over C-USA regular season champion Tulsa to close out her collegiate career. The win marked the first time since 2003 that the Mustangs swept the two-match series with the Golden Hurricane. Oliver landed 17 kills, had four block assists and two digs in the win. She also hit .412 (17K-3E-34TA) over the five sets as SMU became the only league team to defeat TU this season. This is Oliver's first career Offensive Player of the Week honor.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
HEATHER THOMAS, UAB / 5-7, SR., L / MADISON, ALA.
Thomas finished her career in Green and Gold with a season-high 30 digs (7.50 digs per set) against Memphis. She also broke her own UAB single-season record with 631 digs on the season. Her previous best was 607 set a year ago. Thomas owns three of top four single season dig totals in UAB history. She also rounded out her career with 2,131 digs, fourth-most in Conference USA history. Thomas has been named Defensive Player of the Week three times this season and for her career.
SETTER OF THE WEEK
SAMMIE BANE, MARSHALL / 5-4, FR. / BROWNSTOWN, IND.
Bane helped Marshall end the year on a two-match win streak as the Thundering Herd defeated East Carolina and West Virginia last week. She recorded double-doubles in both matches, giving her 14 for the season. Bane dished out 37 assists and tallied 16 digs at East Carolina and wrapped up the year with a 50 assist and 12 dig performance against rival WVU. She averaged 12.43 assists per set. Bane finished the year with 1,174 assists as a freshman. This is Bane's first career Setter of the Week honor.
2011 C-USA VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
A29 Altrese Hawkins, Memphis (OH, Jr.)
S5 Angelica Crump, UCF (OH, So.)
S12 Tyler Henderson, Tulsa (OH, Jr.)
S19 Tyler Henderson, Tulsa (OH, Jr.)
S26 Katie Norris, Houston (OH, Jr.)
O3 Jessica Oliver, SMU (OH, Sr.)
O10 Sam Serley, UAB (MB, Jr.)
O17 Angelica Crump, UCF (OH, So.)
O24 Ashley Mell, Southern Miss (OH, RS Sr.)
N1 Abby Tomas, Marshall (OH, Jr.)
N7 Tyler Henderson, Tulsa (OH, Jr.)
N14 Diana Silva, Tulsa (OH, Jr.)
N21 Tyler Henderson, Tulsa (OH, Jr.)
N28 Jessica Oliver, SMU (OH, Sr.)
DEFENSIVE
A29 Stephanie Figueroa, UTEP (L, Sr.)
S5 Megan White, Rice (DS, So.)
S12 Stephanie Figueroa, UTEP (L, Sr.)
S19 Heather Thomas, UAB (L, Sr.)
S26 Kirsten Gallagher, UAB (MB, Jr.)
O3 Kiriana Hirini, UAB (MB, RS Fr.)
O10 Courtney Manning, SMU (MB, Jr.)
O17 Lisa Knecht, Southern Miss (L, Sr.)
O24 Lisa Knecht, Southern Miss (L, Sr.)
N1 Jessica Adams, Tulsa (L, Jr.)
N7 Heather Thomas, UAB (L, Sr.)
N14 Kellie Culbertson, Tulsa (OH, So.)
N21 Jessica Adams, Tulsa (L, Jr.)
N28 Heather Thomas, UAB (L, Sr.)
SETTER
A29 Hajnalk Molnar, Memphis (S, Jr.)
S5 Rachel Vukson, UCF (S, Sr.)
S12 Rachel Vukson, UCF (S, Sr.)
S19 Hajnalk Molnar, Memphis (S, Jr.)
S26 Caitlin Ogletree, Houston (S, Fr.)
O3 Hajnalk Molnar, Memphis (S, Jr.)
O10 Caitlin Ogletree, Houston (S, Fr.)
O17 Caitlin Ogletree, Houston (S, Fr.)
O24 Kelsea Seymour, Southern Miss (S, Sr.)
N1 Rachel Vukson, UCF (S, Sr.)
N7 Caitlin Ogletree, Houston (S, Fr.)
N14 Kelsea Seymour, Southern Miss (S, Sr.)
N21 Kelsea Seymour, Southern Miss (S, Sr.)
N28 Sammie Bane, Marshall (S, Fr.)
