GAC names volleyball players of week

The Great American Conference named its volleyball Players of the Week as Oklahoma Baptist outside hitter Malia Leatherland secured offensive player, Oklahoma Baptist middle blocker Audrey Poupard captured defensive player and Harding sophomore Sarah Morehead picked up the setter accolade.

Leatherland was vital in wins over Newman, No. 20 Washburn and No. 11 Nebraska-Kearney and garnered 15 kills and hit .433 against the No. 20 Ichabods. Against the Lopers, who were top-ranked in the preseason, she picked up 13 kills plus a match-deciding kill.

Poupard racked up seven blocks of the team’s 13 in the game against Washburn and amassed eight blocks in the five-set victory over Nebraska-Kearney. Poupard averaged

1.38 blocks per set for the week. Morehead had an average of 14 assists per set in Harding’s win over Arkansas-Monticello while tacking on nine digs and a set of aces. The Lady Bisons are 5-0 for the first time since their 2017 season where they had

11-win streak.

East Central defensive specialist/libero Thalianette Garcia, Ouachita Baptist middle blocker Emily Low, Henderson State outside hitter Violeta Mendoza Quintana,

Harding outside hitter Logan Smith and Arkansas Tech outside hitter Rilie Vote were also nominated for offensive player. For defensive players, OBU libero Lexie Castillow, Arkansas Tech libero Madison Grantham, East Central outside hitter Darcie Kaiser and Harding defensive specialist Emma Winiger were also considered. OBU’s Kellen Church, East Central’s Sydney Dungen and Southern Arkansas’ Morgan Schuster were nominated for setter.