VOLLEYBALL
Gillen named player of the week
Arkansas outside hitter Jill Gillen earned SEC Player of the Week honors and Offensive Player of the Week after leading her team to two five-set victories, the conference announced Monday.
She totaled 24 kills against Ole Miss on Wednesday and 26 against Florida on Sunday, both of which being season-highs at the time. Her 26 against the Gators were the most by any Razorback this season.
Gillen’s efforts helped Arkansas extend its win total to 24 this season, its highest since 2003. The Razorbacks also beat the Gators twice in the same season for the first time in program history.
The weekly honor is Gillen’s first this season and the seventh of her career. She is second in the SEC with 4.22 kills per set and tied for first with 0.44 aces per set.
FOOTBALL
ASU’s Cross earns pair of Sun Belt awards
Arkansas State running back Ja’Quez Cross earned a pair of Sun Belt Conference player of the week honors, both offensive and special teams, for his performance in a 77-31 victory over Texas State, the conference announced Monday.
He is the first player in Sun Belt history to earn both honors. New Mexico State cornerback Tony Lukins won defensive and special teams player of the week on Oct. 8, 2001, and is the only other player in conference history to take multiple weekly honors.
Cross accounted for 320 all-purpose yards against Texas State, the most in a game between two league foes since 2017. He finished with 139 yards and 3 touchdowns on 13 carries and caught 2 passes for 15 yards. He also returned three kickoffs for 166 yards, including a 93-yard touchdown return at the end of the third quarter.
BASKETBALL
Harding duo honored by GAC
Guard Rylie Marshall of Harding University was honored Monday as the Great American Conference’s Player of the Week, while forward Sage Hawley was named the conference’s women’s co-Player of the Week.
Marshall set career highs with 17 points — including a 70-foot shot at the end of regulation to tie the game — and four steals in Harding’s overtime victory over the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith.
Hawley, who shared the award with Caitlin Kobiske of Southeastern Oklahoma State, led Harding to two 20-point home wins. She scored 25 points, adding 6 rebounds, 5 blocked shots and 4 assists in a victory over Cameron (Okla.). She followed that up with 21 points and 10 rebounds in a victory over Christian Brothers.
— Democrat-Gazette Press Services