Following a lull in the spring schedule, Chattanooga beach volleyball is back in action this week for a pair of midweek matches in Martin, Tennessee, with UTC set to square off against UT Martin and Austin Peay on Thursday, March 14.
The Mocs will start their day off by playing in their first Ohio Valley Conference match of the season at 1 p.m. CT/2 p.m. ET against host UT Martin (3-5). The team will then close out their doubleheader day in Martin by playing a neutral site, non-conference match immediately after against Austin Peay (6-5) at 3 p.m. CT/4 p.m. ET.
UTC will be looking to get back on track following a 1-7 start to the spring season over the team’s two difficult season-opening tournaments in Jacksonville and Columbia.
@ UT Martin – Mar. 14
Skyhawk Beach Volleyball Complex
Martin, Tenn. (Hosted by UT Martin)
Thursday, March 14
2 PM – Chattanooga at UT Martin (OVC)
4 PM – Chattanooga vs. Austin Peay
6 PM – UT Martin vs. Austin Peay
(All times listed as eastern. Martin is in the central time zone)
STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Sigrun Olafsdottir of the Chattanooga women’s basketball team was recognized for her efforts on and off the court this past week, as the league office announced Olafsdottir as the Southern Conference Student-Athlete of the Week.
The award is given out weekly by the Southern Conference to the student-athlete that showcased the best athletic and academic achievements for the previous week. To be nominated, a student-athlete must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.3, must have completed one full year at their respective school and must be competing in their sport's respective championship season.
Olafsdottir is the first UTC women’s basketball player to receive the honor this season, with the most recent WBB honoree being Addie Grace Porter, who took home the award on March 8, 2023. Olafsdottir is now the fifth different Moc to bring the award home for the department, joining the likes of Paige Gallentine (volleyball), Lesley Green-Boyd (cross country), Randy Brady (men’s basketball) and Maddie Wheatcroft (track & field).
UTC currently ranks second in the conference in Student-Athletes of the Week won this year with six. Furman sits in first with a total of eight on the year.
Olafsdottir is coming off a productive week in Asheville, as she helped guide the Chattanooga women’s basketball team to their second consecutive SoCon Tournament victory, punching UTC’s ticket into the NCAA Tournament once again.
The Iceland native played a major role for the Mocs, starting in all threes games of the tournament and going on to average 6.7 points/game, 1.7 rebounds/game, 1.3 assists/game and 1.0 steals/game on the week while also serving as the team’s primary defender against each of their opponents’ No. 1 scoring options.
Olafsdottir, who was already recognized by the league leading up to the tournament as a member of the SoCon All-Defensive Team, was awarded with the 2024 Pinnacle Award at the conclusion of the SoCon Tournament. The Pinnacle Award is given out annually by the conference to the player with the highest GPA on the tournament-winning team.
Academically a senior but still holding one more year of eligibility should she chose to use it, Olafsdottir is set to earn her degree in Sports, Outdoor Recreation & Tourism Management from UTC later this spring with a 3.838 cumulative GPA.
Olafsdottir and the rest of the Chattanooga women’s basketball will learn what lies ahead of the team this coming Sunday during the 2024 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Selection Show. At this point in time, the Mocs are projected to be a No. 14 seed and would take on No. 3 seeded North Carolina State in Raleigh.