Dec. 8, 2011

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- Samford junior libero Alexis Bauer earned the SoCon Volleyball Defensive Player of the Month award for November, as announced by the conference Thursday. She is the third Bulldog to earn a monthly accolade this season, as Samford volleyball was represented in all three months this year.

"This is great for Lexi," said Head Coach Derek Schroeder. "With us having such a high-powered offense, sometimes the contributions people like Lexi make tend to get overlooked."

The Floyd Knobs, Ind., native's contributions during the conference championship were certainly not overlooked, as she was named the SoCon Tournament's Most Outstanding Player after helping lead the Bulldogs to their first ever conference title earning 52 digs through the weekend's three matches (5.2 per set). She averaged 4.93 digs per set in November, totaling 133, and registered at least 20 digs in three of the month's seven matches. Three of her top five dig totals this season came during the month of November, including a 26-dig performance in a crucial five-set win at UNCG on Nov. 5. Her 2011 dig total of 532 ranks second all-time at Samford and her career total of 1,377 currently ranks second as well, only 39 digs shy of Courtney Gay's four-year record total of 1,416.

This is the third monthly honor given to a Bulldog player this season, as Lauren Hutchinson and Elizabeth Neisler were named the Offensive Player of the Month during September and October, respectively. Bauer earned the SoCon's weekly defensive award on Oct. 10, after earning 52 digs in three wins against Chattanooga, UNCG and Elon the previous week. The College of Charleston's Sloane White took home the month's offensive accolades.