RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Great American Conference announced the volleyball players of the week for the eighth week of the season. Harding’s Rauly Eason won the Offensive Player honor; Arkansas Tech’s Samantha Wojtowicz claimed the Defensive Player accolade and Ouachita Baptist’s Courtney Hanson earned the Setter award.
#theGAC VOLLEYBALL OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Rauly Eason, MB, Harding, So., Orange Park, Florida
Eason helped the Lady Bisons secure on spot to next month’s GAC Championships after she hit a combined .420 in wins against East Central and Southeastern Oklahoma State. In a sweep of the Tigers, she hit .615 and committed just one error. In a four-set win against the Savage Storm, she registered a career-high 17 kills.
#theGAC VOLLEYBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Samantha Wojtowicz, L, Arkansas Tech, So., Forney, Texas
Wojtowicz averaged 6.43 digs per set in wins against Southeastern Oklahoma State and East Central. Against the Savage Storm, she came up with a season-high 36 digs. She followed up with nine in Tech’ sweep of the Tigers. With the two wins, the Golden Suns claimed a berth to the GAC Championships for the first time since 2022.
#theGAC VOLLEYBALL SETTER OF THE WEEK – Courtney Hanson, S, Ouachita Baptist, Sr., Arlington, Texas
Hanson captured her third-straight Setter of the Week after she averaged a GAC-leading 11.38 assists per set. She opened her week with 38 assists, six digs, five kills, and three blocks in a sweep of Southern Nazarene. Against Oklahoma Baptist, she recorded her first 50-assist match of the season when she tallied 53. She added a season-high 24 digs.
OTHERS NOMINATED
Riley Braziel, OH (Ouachita Baptist), Henley Hooks, RS (Arkansas Tech), Courtnee Morgan, OH/RS (Southern Arkansas), Rylee Unruh, OH (Oklahoma Baptist), Sydnee Winfrey, MH (Southwestern Oklahoma State)
Katja Blanchat, MH (Southwestern Oklahoma State), Karsyn Hunter, L (Oklahoma Baptist), Sadie Kabisch, L (Southern Arkansas), Kylie Kisgen, L (Ouachita Baptist), Jacey Lambert, OH (Harding)
Emily Boyer, S (Oklahoma Baptist), Mackenzie Sims, S (Southwestern Oklahoma State)
A three-person committee selects all GAC Athlete of the Week awards