GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida’s freshman libero Lily Hayes was named the SEC’s Co-Freshman of the Week, the league announced Monday afternoon.  

The honor is the first of Hayes’ career, making her the 20th player in program history to garner the award and the first defensive player to do so since Elli McKissock in 2020. It also marks Florida’s first SEC weekly accolade of the 2025 season.

 

The Tampa, Fla. native posted 20 digs and tied her career high with seven assists in Florida’s win over No. 25 Missouri on Friday night. She then led the Gators’ defense with 16 digs in Sunday’s win over Vanderbilt, helping hold the Commodores to a season-low .106 hitting percentage. Hayes also added a career-best four aces as well as one assist to her stat line.

 

As a team, the Gators rank second in the SEC with 14.73 digs per set, while Hayes leads the way individually, ranking seventh in the conference with 3.65 digs per set.

 

Florida faces a challenging week ahead with two ranked matchups, both set for national television. The Gators travel to Knoxville, Tennessee, on Wednesday, Oct. 15, for a midweek showdown against No. 17 Tennessee at Food City Center’s Thompson-Boling Arena. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on the SEC Network. Florida then heads to Lexington, Kentucky, to take on No. 3 Kentucky on Sunday, Oct. 19, inside Historic Memorial Coliseum. That match is set for 3 p.m. ET and will air live on ESPN.

 

SEC Volleyball Players of the Week – Week 7

Player of the Week	Torrey Stafford, Texas
Offensive	Torrey Stafford, Texas
Defensive	Kendal Kemp, Georgia
Setter	Ella Swindle, Texas
Co-Freshmen	Lily Hayes, Florida and Kassie O’Brien, Kentucky

 
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