ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Tusculum University junior outside hitter Raeley Matthews has been named the South Atlantic Conference AstroTurf Offensive Player of the Week for women's volleyball, the league office announced Monday (Sept. 6). She is the first Pioneer women's volleyball student-athlete to win the award since 2019.

A native of Okeechobee, Florida, Matthews played in all 16 sets as the Pioneers (3-1) won the IUP Invitational and impressed during her first weekend in the Black and Orange uniform. She led the team with 55 kills (3.44 per set) on a .225 hitting percentage, five assists, five service aces, 53 digs (3.31 per set), and four block assists.

Matthews reached double-digit kills in all four matches at the tournament and collected double-doubles in three. She recorded a career-high 17 digs twice and personal-best 15 kills in her TU debut.