Spartanburg, S.C. – Coming off a solid weekend that included 34 assists for a squad that hit a season-best .371 in straight sets over The Citadel, Western Carolina junior setter Katie Boney was today named the Southern Conference Setter of the week, receiving her fifth weekly honor this season.
With the fifth seasonal plaudit from the league, Boney is now in sole possession of third for the most career weekly SoCon honors for a WCU volleyball player. Boney breaks a tie with WCU Hall of Famers Christy Attebery (1999-01) and Regina Brown (1989-90). She now sits just one weekly honor away from tying Destinee Dorsey (2020-21) with six, and three behind Meagan Sanchez, who collected eight weekly awards (2016 & 2019) in her career.
A product of Brookhaven, Ga., Boney's fifth weekly honor comes after pacing the SoCon in assists per set at 10.14 last week, the lone player to eclipse double-digit assists per set, as she handed out 71 across seven sets. She also added 17 digs, while chipping in four service aces and adding five kills in home action against Wofford and The Citadel.
Boney continues to have a stranglehold on the top spot in the league in assists overall through 21 matches with 776 helpers. She is the lone player to crest 700 on the season in the SoCon, 88 assists clear of the second-place setter in the league. Boney ranks 29th nationally in total assists, while her 10.35 assists per set average is 18th-best. She is second in conference play with 375 assists through 10 matches, but holds the top spot in assists per set in SoCon play with 10.71 over 35 sets.
Boney began the weekend with 37 assists and nine digs to go along with a pair of kills in a tight four-set defeat to preseason favorite Wofford. A combined 10 of her 37 helpers came in the third set that WCU claimed on 11 kills. Boney also opened the night fast with 12 assists in the opening set against the Terriers, which was a match-high for the WCU junior.
Last Friday, Boney helped WCU dispatch The Citadel with 34 assists, eight digs, three service aces, and three kills in a three-set win for the Catamounts. She averaged 11.3 assists per set, including 15 assists on 16 kills in the opening set, which saw WCU hit an incredible .438 to seize early control. Five kills apiece came from freshman Samantha Kranzler and Tatum Sharp, with Sharp hitting .647 for the match and Kranzler finishing .346.
Western Carolina (7-14, 3-7 SoCon) opens a four-match road swing with a Halloween night matchup in the Gate City against UNC Greensboro before traveling to Johnson City the next night to battle mountain-rival ETSU. Friday's matchup in Greensboro is slated for a 6 p.m. start, followed by a 3 p.m. first serve against the Bucs.
Both matches with the Spartans and Bucs are scheduled for ESPN+ (paid subscription required), and both contests will feature live stats available on CatamountSports.com.
Keep track of everything related to Catamount volleyball and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports), Instagram (@wcu_catamounts, @catamountvb), and Twitter (@catamounts, @catamountvb).
