Nov. 18, 2002

NEW ORLEANS, La. - On the heels of setting the Green Wave single-season digs record, Tulane University volleyball standout Britney Hurst was named Conference USA Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday afternoon.

Hurst, the team's lone senior and a native of Baton Rouge, La., earn the league's weekly honor after averaging 5.70 kills and 5.40 digs per game, including a career-high 29-dig performance on Friday night in the win over Memphis that helped her eclipse the former record of 438 digs set by former teammate Kim Sentmore in 2000. Already the Tulane single-season kills record-holder with 672, Hurst now has 452 digs in 2002.

"Britney has been our big-time player all year long, and this is a well-deserved honor for her," head coach Betsy Becker said. "She's worked hard to become the player she is now, and it is paying off both at the individual level and the team level. She's having an outstanding senior campaign, and we're having the best season in over a decade."

The honor was the second of the year for Hurst, claiming the distinction back on Oct. 7, marking the first time in school history a Tulane player was honored as C-USA Player of the Week twice in the same season.

During Tulane's two matches last week, Hurst posted a pair of 20-kill, 20-dig matches with a 28-kill, 25-dig performance at Houston before following that up with a 29-kill, 29-dig showing vs. Memphis in the regular-season finale for her 21st double-double of the year.

Along the way, the Green Wave won their seventh-straight match dating back to Oct. 30 and have now won 13 of their last 16 contests. Tulane also completed the regular season with a perfect 6-0 record on the road in conference action for the first time in school history.

Tulane's 21-13 record is the school's first 20-win season since 1994 and the most wins since 1992 when the Green Wave went 24-16.

For the year, Hurst leads the team, is second in the conference and ranks among the NCAA's Top 10 with 5.46 kills per game. She also leads the team and ranks fifth in the league with 3.67 digs per game while adding 23 assists, 32 service aces and 62 total blocks.

Hurst and the Green Wave return to action on Friday, Nov. 22 when they travel to Chicago, Ill, to participate in the 2002 Healthy Choice Conference USA Tournament hosted by DePaul University. With a 9-4 league record, Tulane earned the fifth seed and will take on 12th-seeded Marquette at 8 p.m.