Lady Toppers honored by Sun Belt before conference tournament

Austin Lanter

The Sun Belt Conference announced Wednesday that five WKU players as well as coach Travis Hudson received awards based on their performances this season.

Senior setter Melanie Stutsman, senior outside hitter Paige Wessel and sophomore middle hitter Noelle Langenkamp were all named to the 2013 Sun Belt All-Conference first team.

Junior middle hitter Heather Boyan and senior defensive specialist Ashley Potts, meanwhile, were named to All-Conference second team.

For the second straight year and fifth time in his career, Hudson was named the 2013 Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year by the other coaches in the league. Hudson led WKU to an overall record of 27-5 and a record of 17-1 in the conference.

Stutsman was also awarded Sun Belt Conference Setter of the Year. Last week she broke WKU’s all-time assists record and averaged 11.59 assists per set this season. She was even better in Sun Belt action, averaging 12.36 assists per game in conference match-ups.

Potts was awarded the Defensive Player of the Year as well for the third time in her career. In conference play, Potts averaged 5.32 digs per set and for the season her average was nearly five. She will most likely break WKU’s all-time digs record Thursday night against Troy as she is only five away from tying the mark.

Wessel led the WKU offense this season boasting a hitting percentage of .448, which was tops in the Sun Belt and is eighth in the nation.

Langenkamp is right behind with a hitting percentage of .417 on the season, which is 16th in the nation.

Boyan has the most blocks on the team with 97. She also led the Sun Belt in hitting percentage in conference games at .452.

Both Langenkamp and Boyan were named to the All-Conference second team last year as well.

WKU will play Troy (12-20, 7-11 Sun Belt Conference) in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in Troy, Ala.