VIDEO: Maddie Hurst Interview

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Maddie Hurst has been named the 2024 South Atlantic Conference Volleyball Freshman of the Year.

Maddie Hurst (Blaine, Tenn.) has been a standout at outside and middle blocker for head coach Cat Collins in her first season as head coach.

She is the first Eagle to earn the honor since Natalie Harris in 2015. Along with the honor, she was also named to the SAC All-Freshman Team and First Team All-SAC. 

"It means a lot. The coaches had confidence in me, my teammates had confidence in me, and it filled me with confidence." Hurst said. "Coach talked a lot this season about finding joy in God and your faith, and I think that really helped me a lot throughout this year."

Hurst came to Carson-Newman from Grainger High School, where she was a two-sport athlete competing in girls' basketball.

She started her Carson-Newman career with a bang, hitting .536 and setting a career-high 19 kills in just the third match of the season against Union (Tenn.) on Sept. 7.

Along with her talents as an outside hitter, she shined as a middle blocker, highlighted by a performance against Anderson on Nov. 15, when she became the first Eagle in two years to collect over 10 blocks in a match.

Hurst was the Eagles' leading blocker this season with 102 (19 solo, 83 assisted) and ranked second on the team in kills, just behind Emerson Ahsmuhs, who was also named to the All-Freshman and Second Team All-SAC. In addition, she also led the team in hitting percentage, ending her first season hitting .270.

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