FRISCO, Texas – The Southeastern Louisiana University volleyball team was honored by the Southland Conference Monday, when the league office announced that Gracie Brown won the SLC Defensive Player of the Week award, and Ashley Richardson was named Honorable Mention for Setter of the Week.
 
Southeastern's (12-11, 9-1 SLC) winning streak continued last week, when the Lions defended home court against UTRGV and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi for the team's eighth and ninth straight victories.
 
The Lions have been selected for a weekly award in each week of October, giving Southeastern four weekly awards this season. Brown has captured weekly awards in two of the last three weeks, winning the Offensive honor just two weeks ago. Kyra McKelvey previously accomplished the same feat, winning offensive weekly awards in separate weeks.
 
Last week, Brown posted 15 blocks in the pair of wins. In the five-set win against the Vaqueros for the top spot in the SLC, the sophomore tied her career-high mark of 10 blocks. Then, the Bryant, Ark. native put together a five-block performance in the four-set contest against the Islanders. In addition, Brown ended the week with 14 kills, 25.5 points, and a trio of aces.
 
In the last two weeks, Brown has totaled 30 blocks, notching 15 blocks in back-to-back weeks. The sophomore has totaled 71 blocks in 72 sets this season, just short of averaging one block per set.
 
Brown's 71 blocks rank seventh in the Southland Conference, helping SLU become the best blocking team in the league. The Lions have been the most active team at the net, averaging an SLC-best 2.34 blocks per set, and pacing all Southland teams in total blocks (208.5).
 
Ashley Richardson has consistently been one of the conference's top setters. The junior posted her ninth and 10^th double-doubles of the season last week, totaling 76 assists and 24 digs. Richardson's 47 assists against UTRGV were a career-high. Richardson's 7.77 assists per set rank fourth in the SLC.
 
Surging Southeastern will continue SLC play with two away contests this week. The Lions will visit McNeese (8-13, 4-6 SLC) in Lake Charles, La., on Thursday, before heading to Thibodaux, La., to take on Nicholls (9-14, 2-8 SLC) on Saturday. This week's matches will be available to watch on ESPN+.
 
DIGGIN' IT CLUB / S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the Southeastern volleyball program are encouraged to join the Diggin' It Club. Lion volleyball alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners.
 
All membership fees and donations to both the Diggin' It Club and S Club (volleyball) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern volleyball program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Lions Volleyball, follow @LionUpVB on X and Instagram or like /SLUathletics on Facebook.