It is the first conference honor for the San Antonio Churchill product, who posted back-to-back career highs and garnered match-high honors in digs in both matches last week while leading Texas A&M to victories against both Georgia and No. 16 Kentucky. Nettles also becomes the first A&M player to receive the weekly conference defensive accolade this season.
Against Georgia on Friday, Nettles made her fourth career start as a defensive specialist. After A&M dropped the first set, Nettles switched to the libero position for the remainder of the match and finished with a then-career-high 18 digs as the Aggies came back to defeat the Bulldogs, 3-2.
The performance led to her earning the starting libero role for the first time in her career in the following match against No. 16 Kentucky on Sunday. Nettles responded with a career-high 26 digs, the most digs by an A&M player in a four-set match this season, as the Aggies upset the Wildcats, 3-1. It marked the third consecutive match in which Nettles recorded double figures in digs and also set a career high.
Nettles tallied the most serve receptions on the team in both matches, and her pin-point passing and solid defensive play helped the Aggies to a .295 to .189 hitting percentage advantage in the upset over the Wildcats.
For the week, Nettles led A&M with 4.89 digs per set, and she now leads the Aggies with 3.10 digs per set in SEC matches only.
Nettles and the Aggies (14-6, 6-3 SEC) hit the road this weekend, taking on Alabama on Friday in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and facing Missouri on Sunday in Columbia, Mo. The match against the Crimson Tide begins at 7 p.m. at Foster Auditorium and will be broadcast on the SEC Network +. First serve against the Tigers is slated for 3 p.m. at the Hearnes Center, and the contest will be televised on the SEC Network.
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M volleyball. Aggie fans also can keep up to date with the A&M volleyball team on Facebook and on Twitter by following @AggieVolleyball.