FLORENCE, Ala. (September 7, 2026) – The United Athletic Conference announced their second volleyball weekly awards of the season Tuesday afternoon, honoring senior libero Ava Martindale with the UAC Defensive Player of the Week and junior setter Kinslee McGowan with UAC Setter of the Week.  

McGowan earned her sixth career setter of the week award and second with the newly-formed UAC today after an impressive outing in the Noona Kennard Invitational. She racked up 111 assists in the tournament and 35 in the midweek match against Alabama A&M. She continues to lead the conference with an average of 11.71 assists per set, which also ranks third in the NCAA Division I. This was not McGowan's first accolade of the week, as she won MVP of the Noona Kennard Tournament in Florence, Ala. this past weekend after the Lions went 3-0 with three clean sweeps.  

McGowan was a Preseason All-UAC selection after a stellar sophomore year, finishing the year averaging 9.95 assists per set.  

Martindale earned the UAC's second Defensive Player of the Week honor after recording 50 in the Noona Kennard Invitational and 16 against Alabama A&M. She also leads the conference in digs per set, averaging 5.57 to rank second in all of NCAA Division I. The senior also had three service aces and 13 assists last week. 

Martindale won last week's UAC Defensive Player of the Week and was a Troy Invitational All-Tournament selection.  

Junior Reese Ricketts also earned honors and was named to the Noona Kennard Invitational All-Tournament team. She had 36 kills over the weekend and had a .333 hitting percentage.  

North Alabama will face Tennessee State in Nashville, Tenn. tonight at 6 p.m. in the Lions' second midweek match of the year.  

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