Southeastern’s Hidalgo, A&M-Corpus Christi’s Barnes grab Southland Volleyball Weekly honors

Hidalgo recorded conference season-high kills; Barnes leads the nation in digs

FRISCO, Texas – Southeastern’s Cicily Hidalgo and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s Carissa Barnes are the Southland Conference Volleyball Players of the Week, the league announced Monday. Southland weekly awards are presented by GEICO.

Earning her first Player of the Week award, Hidalgo recorded tEarning her first Player of the Week award, Hidalgo recorded two of the highest kill totals by a Southland player this season doing so in back-to-back matches this weekend at the Jackrabbit Invitational.wo of the highest kill totals by a Southland player this season doing so in back-to-back matches this weekend at the Jackrabbit Invitational. The freshman outside hitter recorded 60 kills, two aces and three assists over 15 sets of play and earned a spot on the Jackrabbit Invitational All-Tournament team. Hidalgo sits atop the Southland charts with 144 kills and 10.29 attacks per set. SLU wraps up its nonconference schedule Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Southern Miss.

Collecting her third-straight Southland Defensive Player of the Week award and sixth of her career, Barnes recorded 93 digs over nine sets for the Islanders, including a win over Texas State. The junior libero maintained her Division I rate of 6.87 digs per set, recording a season-high 39 digs versus Tarleton State on Saturday. The Islanders open conference play in San Antonio, Texas, taking on UIW on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Offensive Player of the Week: Cicily Hidalgo, SLU – Fr. – Outside Hitter – Lafayette. La.
The freshman outside hitter posted 23 kills Friday against Drake, tied for the most in the Southland at the time, only to one up herself Saturday with a conference-high 25 kills against Idaho. Both totals marked a new career-best for the Lafayette, La., native. Hidalgo recorded 10 digs against Drake, logging in her third double-double of the season.

Honorable Mention: Audrey Pearce, HBU; Breanna Burrell, Northwestern State; Kyndal Payne, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Defensive Player of the Week: Carissa Barnes, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi – Jr. – Libero – Weatherford, Texas
Barnes started off the weekend recording 35 digs over three sets in a victory over Texas State. The three-time honoree logged by 20 digs in four sets versus UTEP and recorded a season-high 39 digs in four sets against Tarleton State. The Weatherford, Texas native leads the nation with 6.78 digs per set and leads the Southland in aces per set (0.58), digs per set (6.87) and service aces (18).

Honorable Mention: Kaley Feris, HBU; Haley Hoang, Northwestern State

Southland weekly award winners are nominated and voted upon by each school’s sports information director. Voting for one’s own athlete is not permitted. To earn honorable mention, a student-athlete must appear on 25 percent of ballots.