Congratulations to Natalie Hayward and Danielle Mahaffey on earning SEC honors this week!

“SEC Defensive Player of the Week – Tennessee’s Danielle Mahaffey, a senior middle blocker from Cincinnati, Ohio, averaged 2.57 blocks per set to help UT sweep Arkansas in the conference opener for both teams. Mahaffey registered 12 total blocks in the opening match on Saturday, and added six more total blocks in Sunday’s match.”

“SEC Setter of the Week – Tennessee’s Natalie Hayward, a senior from Bothell, Wash., averaged 9.71 assists, 4.86 digs and 1.86 kills per set and posted a .571 hitting percentage in the two wins over Arkansas. In the series opener on Saturday, Hayward tallied 38 assists, 19 digs and nine kills. She then added another double-double of 30 assists and 15 digs in Sunday’s match against the Razorbacks.”

The Lady Vols sit tied at the top of the conference rankings after the first week of league play. In the AVCA Coaches Poll they have moved up to #20. They’re also at #20 in both the RichKern.com Poll and the Pablo Rankings. And in the Volley Talk Poll they stand at #18.