New Orleans – Kennedy Louisell and Ayen Nhial from James Madison volleyball received accolades from the Sun Belt Conference on Tuesday. Louisell snagged the title of Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week for the third time this season. Meanwhile, Nhial earned her first-ever Defensive Player of the Week honor.
In two victories over Georgia State, Louisell shone with 58 kills, averaging 6.44 per set. Notably, she set a school record with 37 kills in one match. This performance topped all Division I Women’s Volleyball statistics this season and broke the previous school record, held since 1984. Originating from Grand Rapids, Mich., Louisell leads the NCAA with 331 kills and stands second nationally with an impressive 5.34 kills per set.
On the defensive side, Nhial’s impact was hard to miss. She contributed 18 blocks in the matches, including a personal best of 12 blocks during a thrilling five-set victory. This season, she leads the Dukes in total blocks (76) and blocks per set (1.29), ranking them among the top three in the Sun Belt.
As a team, James Madison is making waves this season. With stats like these, they’re becoming a force to reckon with. The Dukes will face the Marshall Thundering Herd on October 9-10, and fans are eager to see how they perform next.
For more on the latest in college volleyball, check out NCAA’s official site.