Rock Hill, S.C.----Wingate University sophomore outside hitter Susie Murach (Burke, Va.) has been named the South Atlantic Conference volleyball Player of the Week, league officials announced Monday afternoon. Murach had a big week, leading the Bulldogs to a pair of victories, extending their winning streak to 11 matches. She earns SAC Player of the Week honors for the first time in her career.

Murach averaged 4.17 kills and 3.17 digs per set in the two victories, hitting an impressive .377 on the week. She also had six blocks and two aces. Murach had 12 kills, 10 digs and three blocks in three sets of action against Lees-McRae, hitting .333 on the match. She piled up 13 kills, nine digs and three blocks in Wingate’s sweep over second place Lenoir-Rhyne Friday, hitting .423.

Murach is second on the team with 3.00 kills per set this season, while hitting .252. She is averaging 1.79 digs per set, while adding 25 blocks and 10 aces. Murach has registered at least 10 kills in seven matches for Wingate this season, including each of the last three contests.

The Bulldogs are 20-2 overall and 10-2 in the SAC, sitting alone on the top of the league standings. Every other SAC team has at least four conference losses this season. The six-time defending regular season SAC champions return to action Friday, hosting Newberry at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs host Anderson Saturday at 2 p.m.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY

Wingate University, ranked as the 6th “best value” in the South by U.S. News & World Report, serves 2,648 students on three campuses in Wingate, Matthews and Hendersonville, N.C. Founded in 1896, the University offers 34 undergraduate majors, 37 minors and career concentrations, numerous pre-professional programs, graduate degrees in business, accounting, education, physician assistant studies and sport administration, and doctorates in pharmacy and education. With a 14 to 1 student/teacher ratio, Wingate students gain the tools and support needed to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life.
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 20 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past six years.
 
Wingate is first among NCAA Division II Academic All-America®-producing private colleges in the 2000’s with 50 selections. Among North Carolina’s colleges and universities, Wingate’s 50 Academic All-America® honorees are first during this millennium. Wingate’s 59 lifetime Academic All-America® picks are tops among all SAC schools. For more information, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com.