Nov. 15, 2010

by Koby Padgett
Assistant Media Relations Director

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Senior Hannah Lawing earned her second Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Week award after her record-breaking outing against Mississippi State, sharing the honor with Kentucky’s Stephanie Klefot, the league office released today.

Lawing posted 58 digs on the weekend, including a single-match record 38 against Mississippi State on Saturday night. Her 20 against Alabama helped hold the Tide to a .131 hitting percentage, while Saturday’s outing tops two players, Jodi Thompson and Sarah Cline, who both had 36 in five-set affairs in 1992 and 2007, respectively. Lawing split her time on the weekend between libero and outside hitter, tallying 15 kills as well during her four sets in the full rotation. The double-double on Saturday night, when she had 11 kills, was the 22nd in her career, tying her for 12th in Gamecock history in that category.

The Marietta, Ga., native now stands 16 digs shy of South Carolina’s rally-scoring era single-season record, and she’s 43 digs from tying Diane Denton’s all-time single-season digs record. A total of 39 digs would push Lawing into third on the Gamecocks’ career digs chart. It’s Lawing’s second SEC award this season, as she claimed Defensive Player of the Week honors on Aug. 30, and the third of her career.

Lawing shares the honor with Klefot, who had 38 digs in Kentucky’s two wins over Arkansas and then-No. 15 LSU. Klefot’s Wildcat teammate Lauren Rapp claimed SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors, while LSU’s Madie Jones garnered the SEC Freshman of the Week certificate.

South Carolina returns to action on Friday night at No. 16 LSU at 7 p.m. CST in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.