Fisk, Philander Smith, Talladega, Stillman take home Week 12 HBCUAC Volleyball Awards

NEW ORLEANS - November 4, 2025 - Fisk University setter Kaia Barnett claims Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Setter of the Week. Shelby Chamblin garners Newcomer of the Week. Philander Smith University's Christlove Lature repeats as Defender of the Week. Talladega College's Azdha Dudley wins Attacker of the Week. Stillman College's Karen White earns Freshman of the Week. The women were recognized for their performance between October 27 and November 2, the conference announced Tuesday.

Barnett recorded 59 assists and two double-doubles to help Fisk to three wins last week. She had a high of 27 assists against Tougaloo College on Friday. She tallied 13 assists and 10 digs against Bethel University (Tenn.) on Tuesday. On Friday, she posted 19 assists and 10 digs to help the Lady Bulldogs finish HBCUAC play undefeated. This is Barnett's fifth honor.

Lature tallied 37 digs in two matches with a high of 21 against Jarvis Christian University in a four-set match on Wednesday. In a sweep over Wiley University she recorded 16 to help the Lady Panthers secure the third seed in the 2025 HBCUAC Volleyball Championship. For the week, she averaged 5.29 digs per set.

Dudley recorded a double-double with 21 kills and 10 digs in a four-set victory over Wilberforce University, which helped the Tornadoes secure the second seed in the East Division. She hit .348.

White supplied 17 assists to lead the Tigers to a four-set victory over Wilberforce University, which helped Stillman lock up an HBCUAC Tournament Berth. 

Chamblin delivered another strong performance. She recorded 27 kills and hit .327 in three matches. Against Rust College on Friday, she posted a career-high .727 hitting percentage. Chamblin tallied double-digit kills with 13 against Tougaloo College. This is her 11th weekly honor.

Additional volleyball weekly nominees: Amarie Bankhead (Rust), Jayla Bond (Fisk), Cameryn Bucknor (Oakwood), Ava Cameron (Stillman), Zoie Chambers (Tougaloo), Maria Luiza Chaves (Wiley), Taylor Cousar (Tougaloo), Sha'Niya Cribbs (Talladega), Briyith Echeverri (Talladega), Cameron Gatlin (Tougaloo), Asia Griffiths (Wiley), Marai Guinyard (Wiley), Nialah Gupton (Fisk), Madison Herrera (Wiley), Jayden Jones (Paul Quinn), Jordyn Lacey (Talladega), Jasmyne Mumphrey (Dillard), Kamaria Murray (Oakwood), Spirit Phipps (Paul Quinn), Zoey Sales (Stillman), Ashley Sanchez (Paul Quinn), Ja'Niya Sanders (Philander Smith), Arial Smith (Oakwood), Nanyelis Sosa-Moreno (Dillard), Shyla Starks (Wiley), Gabrielle Washington (Dillard), 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.