Hawkins earns SAC Player of Week honors

Wayland Baptist's Shahala Hawkins was named Sooner Athletic Conference Player of the Week for her performance in leading the third-ranked Pioneers to a 2-2 week at last weekend's season-opening Embry-Riddle Labor Day Tournament in Daytona Beach, Fla.
 
A 6-foot junior middle blocker from Denver City, Hawkins helped Wayland to victories over No. 11 Georgetown, Ky., and Bryan, Tenn., while also turning in solid matches in five-set losses to No. 4 Madonna, Mich., and Taylor, Ind.
 
The NAIA First-Team All-American last year led WBU in kills in all four matches, averaging almost 28 kills per match (5.8 per set) while having an attack percentage of .404. She had five aces (four against Madonna), 20 digs and 10½ blocks in the 19 sets.
 
Hawkins is now eligible for NAIA National Player of the Week.
 
Other SAC volleyball honors went to Taylor Chase of Oklahoma City for setter of the week and Valerie Stetzer of Oklahoma Baptist for libero of the week. Chase, a junior, averaged 10.85 assists per set and helped the Stars to a 4-0 week, which featured wins over Haskell (Kan), Tabor (Kan.), Briar Cliff (Iowa) and Friends (Kan.). Stetzer helped the 14^th-ranked Bison, who like Wayland participated in the Embry-Riddle Labor Day Tournament, to a 2-1 week, which featured victories over Grace (Ind.) and No. 4 Madonna (Mich.). Stetzer, a senior from Arlington, Texas, had 48 digs on the week, including 25 in the win against Madonna.