O’Neal selected Women Play Ball D2 Athlete of the Week

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – After earning the South Atlantic Conference Player of the Week honor for the first time in her career, junior middle blocker Kiayna O'Neal (Katy, Texas) was named the Division II Athlete of the Week by Women Play Ball.

The 2014 Eagles are on pace to have five players crest the 200-kill plateau, a feat that has not happened since 2008. O'Neal has amped up her game since the beginning of October as she has a .345 attack percentage in that time.

"We spread it out," O'Neal said. "We've got setters. We've got the hitters. We've got the defensive players and the whole package. So that kind of gives us a little more flare."

O'Neal had an impressive weekend compiling 20 kills with just one attack error for a .543 attack percentage versus Coker and No. 7 Wingate. The native of Katy, Texas had 11 kills, five digs and a season-high six block assists against the Cobras on Friday while racking up nine kills and a .529 attack percentage against the Bulldogs.

While the Eagles earned the best win in the program's history, the junior middle blocker says that the team's triumphant victory is just the tip of the iceberg.

"We have to stay confident with ourselves," O'Neal said. "We can't get comfortable with just a win like that. That win shows us what we can do as we go through the season. It boosts our confidence and shows that we need to go into every game from now on with the same kind of confidence and flare."

O'Neal is the third Carson-Newman volleyball player this year to be recognized by Women Play Ball joining senior setter Kristen Pickett (Cleveland, Tenn.) and senior outside hitter Rachel Harper (Chattanooga, Tenn.). Women Play Ball is an organization dedicated to female athletics.