Troy’s Hester, Arkansas State’s Martinez and App State’s Heidemann named Sun Belt Volleyball Players of the Week

NEW ORLEANS – Troy’s Tori Hester, Arkansas State’s Sarah Martinez and App State’s Addison Heidemann each turned in impressive performances to lead in various statistics across the league. They have been named the Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Players of the Week.

Offensive player of the week in volleyball

Tori Hester, Troy
(Sr., OH, Salisbury, NC) #10

Troy senior outside hitter Tori Hester recorded 63 total kills in Troy’s pair of road wins against Southern Miss to earn her second weekly honor of the season. On Thursday night, Hester recorded 33 kills in Troy’s thrilling 3-2 win. It was the second-most kills in a game in program history and was just three shy of the record of 36 set by Hester last season. She recorded 33 kills on 100 swings, the most in program history. It is the most kills in a match by a Sun Belt player this season and is tied for eighth in a five-set match in Division I women’s volleyball this year. She is also just the fourth player in the country to record triple-digit offense in a game this season. She followed up her dominant showing with 30 kills in another 3-2 victory for Troy on Friday. On her 20th kill of the night, she became Troy’s all-time leader in kills with 1,672. With the performance, she also stands alone atop the Troy record book in points (1,929.5) and kills per game. set (3.99). She is the first Trojan to record 30 or more kills in back-to-back matches. Hester finished her historic weekend with 63 kills on 186 attempts with 25 errors for a .206 hitting percentage. Her 63 kills were 25 more than the next person in the Sun Belt. Her 6.30 kills per set were 1.55 clear of second in the SBC. Hester’s double-digit kill streak was extended to 46, which remains the longest known active streak in Division I women’s volleyball.

Defensive player of the week in volleyball

Sarah Martinez, Arkansas State
(Sr., L, Flower Mound, Texas)

Arkansas State senior libero Sarah Martinez guided the league’s top defense to another stellar showing with 5.25 digs per game. sets (42 total) and helped limit the high-powered Jaguars to just .154 offensively. The Flower Mound, Texas native had 15 digs in the opener Friday before matching her season-best with 27 digs in Saturday’s win. This marks the second weekly honor for Martinez this season.

Volleyball Setter of the Week

Addison Heidemann, App State
(RS-Jr., S, Diller, Neb.) #4

App State redshirt junior setter Addison Heidemann helped the Mountaineers to a 3-0 sweep of Marshall on Nov. 8 and defeated the Thundering Herd, 3-2, on Nov. 9. Over the weekend, Heidemann reached a total of 99 assists, an average of 12.38 per game. , in addition to three aces, 11 digs and a block. In Friday’s sweep, Heidemann collected 38 of the Mountaineers’ 42 assists. She also tallied a kill, served an ace and recorded seven digs. On Saturday, Heidemann accounted for 61 of App State’s 64 assists. She also served two aces, recorded four digs and tallied a kill and a block. This weekend, the Diller, Neb., native led the way. Sun Belt in assists and helped App State finish second in team hitting percentage (.255) and team kills (15.00 per set) as well as third in assists (13.25 per set). ) and team aces (1.63 per set). During league action, Heidemann ranks second in aces (23) and third in the league in assists (10.40 per set). On the season, Heidemann is fourth in assists (8.59 per set) and sixth in aces (28 total). This is the second weekly honor this season for Heidemann.

2024 Sun Belt Volleyball Offensive Players of the Week

Week 1 – Tori Hester, Troy
Week 2 – Jillian Gray, Georgia Southern
Week 3 – Amiah Butler, Troy
Week 4 – Samantha Wunsch, Texas State
Week 5 – Jalyn Stout, Coastal Carolina
Week 6 – Reagan Barth, Georgia Southern
Week 7 – Brenya Reid, James Madison
Week 8 – Brenya Reid, James Madison
Week 9 – Samantha Wunsch, Texas State
Week 10 – Jalyn Stout, Coastal Carolina
Week 11 – Tori Hester, Troy

2024 Sun Belt Volleyball Defensive Players of the Week

Week 1 – Ashlyn Lovett, Georgia Southern
Week 2 – Sarah Martinez, Arkansas State
Week 3 – Ashlyn Lovett, Georgia Southern
Week 4 – Ashlyn Lovett, Georgia Southern
Week 5 – Torrey Tkach, Southern Miss
Week 6 – Jade Defraeye, Texas State
Week 7 – Sunni Sheppard, Southern Miss
Week 8 – Beatrice Ciccarelli, Marshall
Week 9 – Daedrianna Cail, Arkansas State
Week 10 – Alyssa Ortega, Texas State
Week 11 – Sarah Martinez, Arkansas State

2024 Sun Belt Volleyball Setters of the Week
Week 1 – Brynn Brown, Marshall
Week 2 – Kirsten Barrett, Georgia Southern
Week 3 – Kirsten Barrett, Georgia Southern
Week 4 – Addison Heidemann, App State
Week 5 – Ryann Torres, Texas State
Week 6 – Kirsten Barrett, Georgia Southern
Week 7 – Jordan Smart, James Madison
Week 8 – Anna Loberg, South Alabama
Week 9 – Anna Loberg, South Alabama
Week 10 – Ryann Torres, Texas State
Week 11 – Addison Heidemann, App State