Nov. 1, 2010

SPARTANBURG, S.C. ---- Samford sophomore Elizabeth Neisler has been named this week's Southern Conference Offensive Volleyball Player of the Week for her performance during the past week's matches. The players of the week are voted on by the league office.

This marks Neisler's first honor of the season and her first of her career. She is the third Samford player to earn a weekly award this season as Hillary Fountain won the Offensive Player of the Week in week two and Katie Murphy was named Freshman of the Week in weeks one and seven.

Neisler, an outside hitter from Jacksonville, Ala., helped lead Samford to a 2-1 record on the week with wins over UNC Greensboro and Elon. She led the Bulldogs in hitting in both of the wins. Against Chattanooga on Wednesday, Neisler posted 15 kills and grabbed two blocks assists. She then posted a career-high 21 kills and a career-high .528 hitting percentage on Saturday against UNCG, committing only two errors on 36 swings. She also posted 20 kills on Sunday in Samford's upset of top-ranked Elon and hit .308. It was her second consecutive 20-kill match and her third of the season.

"Neisler just keeps getting better every week," Samford head coach Derek Schroeder said. "Her hard work and determination led her to this honor."

Chattanooga sophomore Paula Passmore, a Merritt Island, Fla., native was named Defensive Player of the Week. She compiled a 5.93 digs per set average, playing two five-set matches and one four-set match. Against Elon, the she recorded a SoCon season-best 38 digs and then posted 29 digs against UNCG. In the four-set win over Samford, Passmore posted 16 digs. This marks the second time this season Passmore was recognized as the SoCon Defensive Player of the Week, as she garnered the honor in week four.

The SoCon's Freshman of the Week award went to Georgia Southern's Lauren LaRocque. The Borger, Texas native helped the Eagles to a perfect 2-0 record on the week, which included wins over division foes Furman and Wofford. The libero and defensive specialist recorded back-to-back 14-dig matches. It was the third straight time she recorded a 14-dig match, tying a season high. LaRocque earned the starting libero spot in Saturday's win over Wofford. LaRocque is the second Georgia Southern player to earn Freshman of the Week honors, as teammate Nicole Jeschelnik was awarded the honor last week.

Also nominated for Offensive Player of the Week were College of Charleston's Cole Dawley, The Citadel's Tatum Jestila, Davidson's Hayley Lawson, Elon's Sarah Schermerhorn, Furman's Natalie Braun, Georgia Southern's Bethany Sanford, Chattanooga's Heather Parman and Western Carolina's Paloma Alvarez.

Nominated for Defensive Player of the Week were College of Charleston's Sarah Havel, The Citadel's Jessica Maxwell, Davidson's Jennifer Chamblee, Elon's Caroline Lemke, Furman's Chandler Ambrester, Samford's Alexis Bauer and Western Carolina's Morgan Cochran.

Nominated for Freshman of the Week were The Citadel's Erin Bucherl, Furman's Elle Ross, Samford's Taylor Palmer, Chattanooga's Tess Kosycarz and Western Carolina's Morgan Cochran.