.png&width=36&height=36&type=webp)
University of North Carolina Athletics
Sheila Doyle Latest To Earn ACC Player Of The Week
October 17, 2016 | Volleyball
GREENSBORO – North Carolina senior Sheila Doyle was named ACC Player of the Week on Monday after a stellar performance on the road over the weekend against Notre Dame and Louisville. Doyle is the fifth Tar Heel on the roster to take home the conference's top weekly honor this season and Monday's honor marks the eighth overall weekly award for Carolina over the first eight weeks of the year.
“Sheila has been one of the most consistent players for us throughout this season,” said head coach Joe Sagula. “This past weekend she raised the level of the team's defense and serving on the road and has solidified our passing game. She has proven to be one of the best in the conference and made us a nationally competitive team. I am so proud of what she has accomplished.”
Doyle's leadership and flawless defense led Carolina to a hard-fought victory at Notre Dame on Friday night, as the Tar Heel libero registered an unprecedented 40 digs to lead UNC to a 3-2 victory over the Fighting Irish. In Carolina's first 100-dig outing in five years, the team co-captain posted just the second 40-dig performance in program history and the first ever during the regular season.
Doyle followed Friday's battle for first place with a solid outing on Sunday afternoon, leading Carolina to a sweep of Louisville with a match-high 13 digs to go with three service aces. The La Grange Park, Illinois, native finished the weekend with an average of 6.63 digs per set and four service aces, moving into third place in the ACC with 5.13 digs per set during UNC's 8-0 start to conference play. Following her impressive weekend, Doyle now ranks seventh all time at UNC in both single-season (4.67) and career (3.27) digs per set.
Doyle is the fifth Tar Heel to earn ACC Player of the Week this season, following Taylor Treacy (Aug. 29), Sydnye Fields (Sept. 5), Taylor Leath (Sept. 12) and Julia Scoles (Oct. 3, Oct. 10). It marks the first time in program history that five different Tar Heels have earned a weekly award, while UNC's six Player of the Week awards surpasses the all-time record of five set in 1989. Additionally, Scoles was named ACC Freshman of the Week twice for a total of eight conference weekly honors, matching UNC's record set in 1999 and repeated in 2012.
Wake Forest middle blocker Caitlyn Della earned ACC Freshman of the Week honors after posting a .481 hitting percentage with 28 kills and eight blocks. Della tallied 13 kills and five blocks, including two solo, in a five-set loss to Duke on Wednesday, before posting an impressive .560 clip with 15 kills in a five-set victory over Virginia on Friday.
The Tar Heels return home this weekend to host Boston College on Friday, Oct. 21, in the annual Get REAL & HEEL breast cancer awareness match. Wear pink to support those affected by breast cancer. First serve is set for 6 p.m.
| ACC Players of the Week | ACC Freshmen of the Week | |
| Aug. 29 | Taylor Treacy, UNC | Julia Scoles, UNC |
| Sept. 5 | Sydnye Fields, UNC | Julia Scoles, UNC |
| Sept. 12 | Taylor Leath, UNC | Kodie Comby, GT |
| Sept. 19 | Milica Kubura, FSU | Layne Van Buskirk, PITT |
| Sept. 26 | Katie Horton, FSU | Carolina Rassenfoss, WF |
| Oct. 3 | Julia Scoles, UNC/Kylie Long, WF | Layne Van Buskirk, PITT |
| Oct. 10 | Julia Scoles, UNC | Jemma Yeadon, ND |
| Oct. 17 | Sheila Doyle, UNC | Caitlyn Della, WF |
