VALDOSTA, Ga. – Valdosta State graduate student Brian Saunds and freshman volleyball standout Kylie Stroehlein were named Steel's Jewelry Blazer Athletes of the Week.  This is the first weekly honor of the season for Saunds and second for Stroehlein.  
 
Saunds had an outstanding game on Saturday as the then-No. 3 Blazers posted a 42-17 victory at No. 10 West Alabama to remain unbeaten and atop the Gulf South Conference standings with a 6-0 record overall and a 3-0 mark in league play.  For his efforts, Saunds was named Co-Gulf South Conference Offensive Player of the Week.  Saunds caught a season-high nine passes for 168 yards and one touchdown on a 59-yard strike for a 28-17 lead in the second quarter.  He had five catches for 144 yards and a score in the first half as VSU battled back from a 14-0 deficit midway through the first quarter and outscored UWA 28-3 since the midpoint in the first quarter for the remainder of the half.  VSU added two touchdowns in the third quarter, one on the ground and a pick-six, for the 42-17 final score as VSU outscored UWA 42-3 following the 14-0 start by the Tigers.  
 
For the season, Saunds, a Darien, Ga., native, has 22 catches for 368 yards and three touchdowns.  He also handles punt returns for the Blazers as he is fourth in the GSC in punt returns at 6.4 yards per return.  He has 14 returns on the season for 90 yards.  
 
Saunds has played in 40 games for his career with 31 starts, logging 2,250 yards on 136 receptions and 24 receiving touchdowns.  His 2,250 yards puts him seventh all-time in school history in career receiving yards, while his 24 receiving touchdowns ties him for seventh all-time with current teammate graduate student Lio'undre Gallimore.
 
Stroehlein helped lead VSU to a 3-0 sweep of West Alabama on Friday evening at The Complex.  She recorded 10 kills and 16 digs for her tenth double-double of the season.  The Tampa, Fla., native, finished the match with one assist, two aces, one assisted block and scored 12.5 points.  Stroehlein helped lead VSU to its tenth win of the season and fourth shutout of the season.  
 
For the season, Stroehlein has played in 21 matches with 20 starts and leads the team with 200 kills.  She is hitting at a .155 clip in 711 swings, while averaging 3.0 points per set.  Stroehlein has 12 assists on the season with 25 aces, while she is second on the team in digs with 239.  She has four solo blocks and assisted on 20 blocks this season.
 
The No. 2 Blazer football team travels to Mississippi College for a 3 p.m. ET kick Saturday afternoon.  Fans can access links to live stats, audio/video streaming of the game at vstateblazers.com on the football schedule page.  The game also will be broadcast on WDDQ 92.1 Talk FM with Spencer Van Horn and Wade Beale having the call.
 
Stroehelin and the volleyball team dips out of conference play this weekend as it travels to Winter Haven, Fla., for the Gulf South Conference/Sunshine State Conference Crossover Friday and Saturday.  VSU faces Barry at 12:15 p.m. on Friday and Lynn at 7 p.m., while it is scheduled to face Florida Southern on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.  Fans can access links to live stats and streaming of the matches at vstateblazers.com on the volleyball schedule page.