Dillard, Fisk, Oakwood, SUNO garner Week 4 HBCUAC Volleyball Weekly Awards

NEW ORLEANS - September 8, 2025 - Oakwood University's Kamaria Murray wins Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Attacker of the Week. Fisk University's Nialah Gupton three-peats as Defender of the Week. Her teammate Shelby Chamblin captures Newcomer of the Week. Dillard University's Nanyelis Sosa-Moreno claims Setter of the Week. Southern University at New Orleans' Kailany Alba brings home Freshman of the Week. The women were recognized for their performances between September 1-7, the conference announced Monday.

Murray recorded 34 kills, nine digs and six service aces in two matches against National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II schools last week. Her 18 kills helped the Ambassadors defeat LeMoyne-Owen College in five sets. She put up an equal performance with 16 kills and two aces against Miles College.

Gupton tallied 33 digs helping the Lady Bulldogs to two victories with a high of 18 against Wilberforce University. She averaged 5.5 digs per set and successfully received 26 balls. Through four weeks, Gupton leads the conference with 188 digs and 4.48 digs per set.  

Sosa-Moreno posted 57 assists for an average of 9.50 in two matches last week. Against NCAA Division I school Mississippi Valley State University, she tallied 31 assists, six digs, two block assists and a .250 hitting percentage in a three-game sweep. In a sweep over Rust College, 26 assists, five digs, four block assists and three kills.

Alba contributed 21 kills in two matches, including 13 against NCAA Division I school Mississippi Valley State. She added eight kills and eight digs in a win over Rust College on Friday. For the week Alba tallied three block assists and two digs.

Chamblin claims her fourth weekly award after putting up 18 kills in four sets. She averaged 4.50 per set and hit .368 for the week. In one set against Central State University, she put up 11 kills and nine digs.

Additional volleyball weekly nominees: Taszia Adkinson (SUNO), Musha Alhassen (Rust), Aniyah Asberry (Huston-Tillotson), Kaia Barnett (Fisk), Paige Browning (Fisk), Cameryn Bucknor (Oakwood), Jazmin Connor (Rust), Taylor Cousar (Tougaloo), Kendrence Dozier (SUNO), Madisen Fobbs (Dillard), Cameron Gaitlin (Tougaloo), Imany Gillmore (Huston-Tillotson), Rickale Green (Philander Smith), Armoni Harris (SUNO), Jolandra Hill (Rust), Christlove Lature (Philander Smith), Kamyah Love (Tougaloo), Halauna Martin (Tougaloo), Cameryn Morris (Rust), Laila Morrison (Paul Quinn), Jakayla Morrow (Paul Quinn), Spirit Phipps (Paul Quinn), Makaila Piggee (Paul Quinn), Arial Smith (Oakwood), Cadence Thomas (Dillard), Kristian Thomas (Dillard), Alexis Wiley (Oakwood), Avianna Williams (Rust), Essence Wren (Philander Smith)

2025 HBCUAC Volleyball Players of the Week

About the HBCU Athletic Conference
The HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) is the only HBCU conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The HBCUAC membership includes Dillard University (LA), Fisk University (TN), Huston-Tillotson University (TX), Oakwood University (AL), Paul Quinn College (TX), Philander Smith University (AR), Rust College (MS), Southern University at New Orleans (LA), Stillman College (AL), Talladega College (AL), Tougaloo College (MS), University of the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas), Voorhees University (SC), Wilberforce University (OH), and Wiley University (TX). HBCUAC sponsors championships in men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's track and field, women's volleyball, softball, and baseball. In 2022, the HBCUAC secured the largest media rights deal in conference and NAIA history, signing a multimillion-dollar deal with Urban Edge Network. On July 1, 2024, the conference rebranded from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) to the HBCU Athletic Conference, marking a new era for the conference that embodies the makeup of its membership. For more information, visit hbcuac.org.