VALDOSTA, Ga.- Valdosta State football graduate student Blake Hester and Lady Blazer basketball junior Mary McMorris were named this week's Steel's Jewelry Athletes of the Week. This marks Hester's third weekly award this season while it is McMorris' first honor of the year.
 
Hester led the Valdosta State football team in the offensive ground-game in the second round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs last Saturday. Assisting the Blazers in the 33-17 rout over Miles, Hester rushed for a game-breaking 20 carries for 132 yard and two rushing touchdowns. The Ashland, Ky. native also finished the day with four receptions through the air for 32 yards and a receiving touchdown, giving him three total scores for the game.
 
McMorris, a native of Las Vegas, Nev., went 10 of 16 from the field, 4 of 5 from distance and 2 of 2 from the line, while pulling down four rebounds with six assists and two steals in an 87-60 victory last Tuesday at Clayton State.  McMorris and the Lady Blazers improved to 5-1 on the year with the win and held the Lakers to just 32.1 percent shooting, while the VSU offense shot a season-best .542 from the field on 32 of 59.  VSU tied its season-high with 11 made 3-pointers in the game and pulled down a season-high 53 rebounds in the contest. For her excellent play she was also named this week's Gulf South Conference Player of the Week.
 
Hester and the No. 1-seeded Blazer football team are set to take on Virginia Union in the NCAA Division II National Quarterfinals on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium. Meanwhile, McMorris and the Lady Blazer ball team will open conference play on the road against the likes of West Alabama on Thursday and Alabama Huntsville on Saturday. For more information on all things VSU athletics, visit vstateblazers.com.