COLLEGE STATION – Texas A&M senior libero Amy Houser has been named both SEC Player of the Week and SEC Defensive Player of the Week, and Aggie sophomore Camille Conner has been named SEC Setter of the Week, the Southeastern Conference announced today.
Houser collects the honors for the first time in her career, and Conner receives her award for the second time in her career and the first time this season after the pair led Texas A&M to conference-season opening victories over both Arkansas and Georgia, two teams picked to finish above the Aggies in the preseason SEC coaches’ poll.
Houser, from Houston, took team-high honors in digs in both matches and is tied for the conference lead with 5.25 digs per set in SEC matches. The team captain had a match-high 19 digs in the three-set victory over Arkansas, marking the most digs by an A&M player in a three-set match this season, as well as the most digs by an SEC player in a three-set conference match this year.
Houser had 23 digs, one shy of her career high, in the upset over Georgia, including four crucial digs in the fifth set to help lift A&M to the decisive 15-9 win. It was her sixth consecutive double-digit dig performance, and it was the fourth time in six matches she tallied 20 or more digs.
Conner, who shares the weekly setter honor with Kentucky’s Madison Lilley, directed an A&M offense that outhit its opponent in each match. Conner averaged 10.25 assists per set, tying for the best in the league in SEC matches. The lefty from Katy, Texas, also got involved in the offense and kept opposing defenses out of sync as she averaged 2.12 kills and 2.94 points per set while hitting .433, which ranks fourth in the conference in SEC matches.
In the sweep against Arkansas, Conner had six kills and hit .556 and also took match-high honors with 34 assists. She posted a season-high 11 kills—one shy of her career high—in the win against Georgia. She also had a match-high 48 assists against the Bulldogs and came within one dig of posting a triple-double. In addition, Conner added five blocks, one block shy of her career high.
The Aggies (9-5, 2-0 SEC) aim to open conference play 3-0 for the first time since joining the SEC when they return to action Sunday as they begin a three-match road swing at LSU. First serve against the Tigers is slated for 1 p.m. at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.