By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – For the first time in the history of University of Tennessee at Martin volleyball, the Skyhawks dialed up three Ohio Valley Conference weekly honors as Karen Scanlon (Offensive), Dylan Mott (Defensive) and Angel Baylark (Newcomer) were recognized this afternoon.
UT Martin had previously boasted two OVC weekly award winners 11 times, the last of which occurring on Oct. 28, 2019. Scanlon becomes only the third Skyhawk to ever win both OVC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week honors in a career while Mott is just the ninth player in school history to earn OVC Defensive Player of the Week accolades. Baylark becomes only the fifth UT Martin representative to ever grace the OVC Newcomer of the Week list.
A 6-0 graduate from Scottsdale, Ariz., Scanlon collected 47 kills (3.62 per set) while hitting .339 and producing 4.31 points per set over four matches. She earned all-tournament accolades for the second consecutive weekend, this time nabbing that award at the Skyhawk Invitational. On Friday, she had 11 kills on a .381 hitting percentage in the sweep over Alabama A&M before piling up a double-double (12 kills on a .458 attack percentage, 13 digs) in the sweep over Western Illinois. She followed that with 15 kills and eight digs against Arkansas State, leading the team in kills for the third straight match. Additionally, she narrowly missed a double-double (nine kills, 10 digs) in midweek action against Southern Illinois.
Through seven matches this season, Scanlon leads the OVC in kills (86) while ranking second in service aces (12), fourth in kills per set (3.19), sixth in service aces per set (0.44) and ninth in attack percentage (.280).
Mott made plays all over the court for UT Martin last week, accruing 62 digs for a 4.77 digs per set average. Her stellar week started with 13 digs in three sets against Southern Illinois on Tuesday. The Hendersonville, Tenn. native then scooped up a whopping 20 digs in just three sets against Alabama A&M before adding a 16-dig effort in three sets against Western Illinois on Friday. In her final action of the week, she delivered 13 digs in four sets against Arkansas State. She also landed seven service aces over the four matches, including three consecutive multi-ace performances in the Skyhawk Invitational.
A 5-7 sophomore libero, Mott currently tops the OVC with 130 digs while ranking second in service aces (12), third in digs per set (4.81) and sixth in service aces per set (0.44).
Baylark captured all-tournament honors at the Skyhawk Invitational, hitting a remarkable .433 with 34 kills (2.62 per set) while swatting away 17 blocks (1.31 per set) for the week. She produced a team-high 14 kills against only one error in 18 swings (.722 attack percentage) with four blocks in only three sets on Tuesday against Southern Illinois. She then hit .333 and rejected three blocks in three sets against Alabama A&M before a seven-kill, .455 performance and four blocks in three sets against Western Illinois on Friday. She concluded her week with eight kills and six blocks in four sets against Arkansas State on Saturday.
A 5-11 sophomore middle blocker out of Burlington, Iowa, Baylark leads the OVC with 35 blocks while ranking second in the league in blocks per set (1.40).
UT Martin returns to action this weekend with a short trip to Murfreesboro, Tenn. for the Blue Raider Invitational. The Skyhawks will clash against Belmont (1:30 p.m.) and Grambling State (4 p.m.) on Friday, Sept. 9 before squaring off against Middle Tennessee at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information