RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Great American Conference announced the league's fifth Volleyball Player of the Week awards of the 2021 springseason. The league saw three repeat winners as Oklahoma Baptist's Malia Leatherland and Audrey Poupard plus Harding's Sarah Morehead captured the Offensive Player, Defensive Player and Setter honors, respectively.
GAC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Malia Leatherland, Oklahoma Baptist, OH, Sr., Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Leatherland helped the Bison score victories against MIAA opponents – Newman, No. 20 Washburn and No. 11 Nebraska-Kearney She amassed 15 kills and hit .433 against the No. 20 Ichabods. She added 13 kills, including the match-deciding kill against the preseason top-ranked Lopers. The Bisons rallied from a 10-2 deficit in the fifth set to clinch the upset.
GAC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Audrey Poupard, Oklahoma Baptist, MB, So., Celina, Texas
Poupard's sterling defensive efforts in the middle allowed the Bison to remain undefeated in the spring season. Against No. 20 Washburn, she collected seven blocks and the team finished with 13. She followed up that effort with eight blocks in the Bison's five-set win against No. 11 Nebraska-Kearney. For the week, she averaged 1.38 blocks per set.
GAC SETTER OF THE WEEK – Sarah Morehead, Harding, So., Aledo, Texas
In Harding's lone match, Morehead averaged 14.0 assists per set in the Lady Bisons' sweep of Arkansas-Monticello. She added nine digs and a pair of aces. The No. 9 Lady Bisons have started 5-0 and for the first time since opening the 2017 campaign with 11 straight victories. Harding hit .254 in the win.
OTHERS NOMINATED
Thalianette Garcia, DS/L (East Central), Emily Low, MB (Ouachita), Violeta Mendoza Quintana, OH (Henderson State), Logan Smith, OH (Harding), Rilie Vote, OH (Arkansas Tech)
Lexie Castillow, L (Ouachita), Madison Grantham, L (Arkansas Tech), Darcie Kaiser, OH (East Central), Emma Winiger, DS (Harding)
Kellen Church, S (Ouachita), Sydney Dungen, S (East Central), Morgan Schuster, S (Southern Arkansas)
