Troy University Athletics
Tori Hester Named Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week
9/3/2024 10:00:00 AM | Volleyball
TROY, Ala. – After a dominant opening weekend of play, Tori Hester was named the Sun Belt Women's Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week, the conference announced on Tuesday morning.
Hester, an outside hitter, led the conference with 68 kills in Troy's first three matches of the season. Not only is that mark atop the Sun Belt rankings, but it is third nationally and just six off the top mark in the country.
"Tori had a tremendous weekend, as she averaged 22.6 kills and 12 digs per match on the weekend," head coach Josh Lauer said. "It was very impressive, and just as important, she was team-focused all weekend long. It is absolutely a well-deserved recognition from the Sun Belt coaches for Tori this week."
Hester, a senior from Salisbury, N.C., also leads the conference in total points (77.5), points per set (6.46) and kills per set (5.67). Nationally, she is top-five in all those categories.
Against New Hampshire this past Friday, Hester recorded 29 kills, which set a new program record for the most kills in a four-set match, surpassing the previous record of 28. Against Big Ten foe Maryland earlier in the day, she recorded 15 kills in three sets.
In Troy's thrilling 3-2 win over LSU on Saturday, Hester added 24 kills, including the final kill of the match, to clinch a 25-23 fifth-set win and give Troy just its eighth victory over a Power Five opponent.
In addition to her strong offense, Hester also recorded nine blocks, including four in both of Troy's wins over UNH and LSU. She also recorded double-figure digs in all three matches.
Troy returns to the court on Tuesday night as they travel to Auburn. The first serve is set for 7 p.m., with the match being broadcast on SECN+. Live stats will be available on TroyStats.com.
