VALDOSTA, Ga.- Valdosta State football sophomore Noah Botsford and Blazer volleyball senior Christina Pettigrew were named this week's Steel's Jewelry Athletes of the Week. This marks Botsford's first weekly award this season while it is Pettigrew's third honor of the year.
 
Botsford, a native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., earned Gulf South Conference Special Teams Player of the Week, having a season-best 51.7 average punting against the Argos with three punts totaling 155 yards.  The performance was highlighted by a career-best 61-yard punt, and he had two inside the 20.  He also accounted for three kickoffs in the game. For the season, Botsford has 25 punts for 1,032 yards and a 41.28 average with three touchbacks, three fair catches, 10 inside the 20 and seven over 50 yards.  He also has had 51 kickoffs for the season for 3103 yards and a 60.8 average with 19 touchbacks and one out of bounds.
 
Pettigrew was named the GSC Player of the Week, helping the Valdosta State volleyball team go 1-1 against Trevecca Nazarene and Lee in the final weekend of the regular season.  The Copperas Cove, Tex. native racked up a team-high 31 kills while hitting for .375 on the weekend. Defensively, she recorded eight total blocks over the weekend including seven solo rejections. She also finished the weekend with five aces and 12 digs. In the five-set victory over Trevecca, Pettigrew led the Blazers with 17 kills while hitting for a team-best .378. She also tallied five total blocks including a staggering four solo rejections. In her senior season, Pettigrew has been on a tear for the Blazer volleyball team, racking up 304 kills for 2.84 kills a set. She is currently hitting for a team-best .297 while tying for a squad-best 41 service aces. Defensively, Pettigrew leads the charge for the Blazers at the net with 80 total blocks including 37 solo blocks. She also has rallied for 98 digs and 10 assists.
 
Botsford and the No. 1 Blazer football team recently earned the number one seed in the south region and will take on the winner of this weekend's matchup between Miles and Carson-Newman next Saturday at Bazemore-Hyder in the second round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs. Meanwhile, Pettigrew and the Blazer volleyball team are set to compete in the GSC Championship Tournament in Pensacola, Fla. this weekend, facing off with Lee in the second round on Friday night at 5 p.m. ET. For more information on all things VSU athletics, visit vstateblazers.com.