Player of the Week
Hailee Blankenship, King
A senior outside hitter from Goode, Virginia, Hailee Blankenship of King closed out the regular season averaging an impressive 4.57 points, 4.14 kills and 2.93 digs per set in three matches last week for the Tornado.
Blankenship had a double-double in all three matches. She first finished with 24 kills and 13 digs, while hitting .306, in King’s thrilling five-set conference win over Converse. Blankenship followed that up with 21 kills and 17 digs in King’s four-set match with Emmanuel. In King’s regular-season finale, Blankenship concluded her efforts with 13 kills and 11 digs in a five-set league win over Belmont Abbey.
Blankenship closed the regular season third in Conference Carolinas in points per set at 4.23. She is presently fourth in the league in kills per set at 3.61. Blankenship claimed weekly honors from Conference Carolinas twice in the 2023 regular season.
Specialist of the Week
Katie Pressley, UNC Pembroke
A senior setter/libero from Indian Trail, North Carolina, Katie Pressley of UNC Pembroke finished the last week of the regular season strongly by averaging 13.45 assists and 2.64 digs per set.
In a week that finished with three UNC Pembroke victories and the Braves claiming the East Division championship, Pressley first began the week by recording a career-best 57 assists in a four-set win over rival Francis Marion. She also had 11 digs and two service aces in the victory and broke the school record for career assists in the match. In UNC Pembroke’s sweep of Barton on senior day, Pressley collected 38 assists and 12 digs. She posted 53 assists, six digs, one ace and one block in the division-clinching win over Mount Olive on Monday, Nov. 6.
Pressley enters the Conference Carolinas Women’s Volleyball Championship with the program-record 2,677 career assists. She is presently fifth in Conference Carolinas with 9.19 assists per set. Pressley picked up weekly honors from Conference Carolinas twice in the 2023 regular season.
2023 Conference Carolinas Women’s Volleyball Weekly Awards
Week 10 (Nov. 7, 2023)
Player of the Week: Hailee Blankenship, King
Specialist of the Week: Katie Pressley, UNC Pembroke
Learn more about all weekly/monthly award winners in Conference Carolinas here.