Tweet #theGAC  RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Great American Conference announced the league’s sixth Volleyball Players of the Week of the 2021 season. Arkansas Tech’s Emily Ragsdale and Brianna Merkel captured the Offensive Player and Setter honors; East Central’s Alejandra Delgado claimed the Defensive Player award.
 
GAC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Emily Ragsdale, Arkansas Tech, MB, Sr., Las Vegas, Nevada
Ragsdale paced the Golden Suns’ offense in wins against No. 19 Oklahoma Baptist and Southern Nazarene that kept them undefeated in league play. She tallied 11 kills and hit .409 in the sweep of the nationally-ranked Bison. She followed up with 11 kills in a four-set victory against the Crimson Storm.
 
GAC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Alejandra Delgado, East Central, DS, Sr., Cidra, Puerto Rico
Delgado helped the Tigers extend their win streak to a program-record seven as they went 3-0 last week. She averaged 6.18 digs per set in wins against Texas A&M-Commerce, Southern Arkansas and Arkansas-Monticello. She tallied 28 in a four-set win against the Lions and a season-high 31 in a four-set win against the Blossoms.
 
GAC SETTER OF THE WEEK – Brianna Merkel, Arkansas Tech, Jr., Franklin, Wisconsin
Merkel averaged 10.71 assists per set as the Golden Suns extended their win streak to 10. She handed out 33 in the victory against Oklahoma Baptist along with six digs and a pair of service aces. She recorded a double-double against the Crimson Storm with 42 assists and 12 digs.
 
OTHERS NOMINATED
 
Jamie Agnew, OH (Arkansas-Monticello), Markenzie Benoit, MH (Southwestern Oklahoma State), EJ Day, OH/RS (Ouachita),
Thalianette Garcia, OH/L (East Central), Kaydee Honeycutt, OH (Northwestern Oklahoma State), Malia Leatherland, OH (Oklahoma Baptist), Kelli McKinnon, MB (Harding), Isla Olivas, MH (Southern Arkansas)
 
Abby Bermudez, MH (Southern Arkansas), Kaitlynn Bradley, OH/OPP (Arkansas Tech), Mikaela Brown, RS (Arkansas-Monticello), Diana Carranza, DS/L (Oklahoma Baptist), Tarra Parks, DS (Northwestern Oklahoma State), Kaitlyn Sykes, MB (Henderson State), Emma Winiger, DS (Harding)
 
Kaylee Buell, S (Oklahoma Baptist), Kellen Church, S (Ouachita), Abby Davis, S (Northwestern Oklahoma State), Sydney Dungen, S (East Central), Allie Hoang, S (Southwestern Oklahoma State), Sarah Morehead, S (Harding), Morgan Schuster, S (Southern Arkansas)