RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Great American Conference announced the league's Volleyball Players of the Week for the third week of the 2021 spring season. Arkansas-Monticello's Katelyn Richbourg and Katie Pearson garnered the Defensive Player and Setter awards while Harding's Libby Hinton earned the Offensive honor.

GAC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Libby Hinton, Harding, MB, So., Glen Rose, Texas

Hinton led the Lady Bisons in a three-set victory against Southern Nazarene. She registered a season-high 11 kills with a season-high .529 attack percentage. She averaged 4.00 points per set. Harding improved to 3-0 and extended its win streak against Southern Arkansas to nine

GAC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Katelyn Richbourg, Arkansas-Monticello, DS, Jr., Magnolia, Arkansas

Richbourg spearheaded a stout defensive effort for the Blossoms in their four-set win against Ouachita on Tuesday. She recorded 41 digs as the Tigers produced just a .085 attack percentage. She became the second player in GAC history to tally at least 40 digs in a four-set contest.

GAC SETTER OF THE WEEK – Katie Pearson, Arkansas-Monticello, Sr., Kansas City, Missouri

Pearson helped the Blossoms end an 11-match losing streak to Ouachita as she recorded 48 assists in the four-set win on Tuesday. The 48 assists represented her career high for a three- or four-set match. After hitting a combined .065 in its first two matches, Arkansas-Monticello hit .257 against Ouachita.

OTHERS NOMINATED

Morgan Gross, OH (Southern Arkansas), Brooke Jones, OH/RH (Ouachita), Haylee Paladini, OPP (Arkansas Tech)

Lexie Castillow, L (Ouachita), Madison Grantham, L (Arkansas Tech), Emily Smith, MB (Harding)

Brianna Merkel, S (Arkansas Tech), Sarah Morehead, S (Harding), Morgan Schuster, S (Southern Arkansas)