VALDOSTA, Ga. – Valdosta State senior softball standout Charlotte Phillips and baseball junior outfielder Charlie Banks were named the Steel's Jewelry Blazer Athletes of the Week, the athletic department announced Tuesday.  This is the first weekly honor of the season for both Banks and Phillips.  
 
Banks, a native of Marietta, Ga., slashed .429/.500/.714 in 14 at bats versus Union last week, collecting six hits, one home run, a double and drove in four.  He walked twice and stole a base.  
 
This season, Banks leads the team with a .378 average and a 1.018 OPS in ten starts.  He has a team-high 17 hits, five runs scored, three doubles, two home runs and driven in ten.  Banks is slugging .578 to lead the team and is reaching base at a .440 clip with five walks, while he is 2 of 3 on the base paths.  He has five multi-hit games this season.
 
Phillips, a native of Birmingham, Ala., put together an outstanding performance at the Old Coast Classic, leading VSU with a .538 batting average on 7 of 13 from the dish.  She scored four runs, with three doubles, and drove in four, while posting an on-base percentage of .571 and stole one base.  She delivered in the 11-inning thriller against Flagler, going 3 for 5 with two doubles and two RBI, including the go ahead two-RBI double in the top of the 11^th.  
 
For the season, Phillips leads the team with a .367 average and a 1.072 OPS in ten starts.  She is 11 of 30 from the dish with eight runs scored, five doubles, one triple and driven in seven.  Phillips is slugging .600 for the season, while reaching base at a .472 clip with four walks and been hit by pitches twice.  She has two stolen bases for the year. 
 
The Blazer baseball hosts Georgia Southwestern Tuesday evening at 5 p.m. at Billy Grant Field at Tommy Thomas Park, while both teams open Gulf South Conference play on the road this weekend as they travel to Trevecca Nazarene for three-game series'.  
 
Check back with vstateblazers.com for complete recaps and stats all season long.  
 
Steel's Jewelry Blazer Athletes of the Week
Oct. 20, 2025 – Eimy Negron Domenech (Volleyball) / Elad Sebbag (Men's Golf)
Oct. 27, 2025 – Kaitlyn Scherer (Women's Soccer) / Mark Robinson (Football)
Nov. 3, 2025 – Taylor Youmans (Women's Soccer) / Council Allen (Football)
Nov. 10, 2025 – Eimy Negron Domenech (Volleyball) / Corey Reddick, Jr. (Football)
Nov. 17, 2025 – Erin Whalen (Women's Basketball) / Matt Rolader (Football)
Nov. 24, 2025 – Aryana Hicks (Women's Basketball) / Blaise Wallace (Men's Basketball)
Dec. 1, 2025 – Aryana Hicks (Women's Basketball) / MJ Jones (Men's Basketball)
Dec. 8, 2025 – Alina Martin (Women's Basketball) / Samarion Bond (Men's Basketball)
Dec. 16, 2025 – Amaya Broadus (Women's Basketball) / Drew Mills (Men's Basketball)
Dec 22, 2025 –  Erin Whalen (Women's Basketball) / Drew Mills (Men's Basketball)
Jan. 5, 2026 – Erin Whalen (Women's Basketball) / Lucas Brown Jr. (Men's Basketball)
Jan. 12, 2026 – Erin Whalen (Women's Basketball) / Peter McKey (Men's Basketball)
Jan. 20, 2026 – Erin Whalen (Women's Basketball) / Drew Mills (Men's Basketball)
Jan. 26, 2026 – Erin Whalen (Women's Basketball) / Blaise Wallace (Men's Basketball)
Feb. 3, 2026 – Chardae Rumph (Women's Basketball) / Drew Mills (Men's Basketball)
Feb. 9, 2026 – Erin Whalen (Women's Basketball) / Peter McKey (Men's Basketball)
Feb. 17, 2026 – Charlotte Phillips (Softball) / Charlie Banks (Baseball)