Key Becomes Second Player In School History To Rack Up Multiple OVC Rookie Of The Week Honors
10/19/2026 3:00:00 PM | Volleyball
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – University of Tennessee at Martin freshman middle blocker Rylee Key earned her second Ohio Valley Conference Rookie of the Week accolade this afternoon.
Key, who also brought home this award on Sept. 28, is just the second Skyhawk to win the OVC Freshman/Rookie of the Week honor twice in a season – joining Kylie Surratt (a three-time recipient in 2024). The longtime Freshman of the Week honor was rebranded to the Rookie of the Week award before the start of the 2026 campaign.
The Newbern, Tenn. native helped UT Martin to an OVC road sweep over the weekend at Western Illinois, tallying 22 kills (3.14 per set) on a flaming .356 attack percentage. Key also added four blocks, four digs, two service aces and two assists as the Skyhawks won in four sets on Friday and swept the Leathernecks in Saturday's series finale.
Key began the weekend with a career-high 12 kills on a .296 hitting percentage to go along with a pair of blocks and a service ace in Friday's series opener. The following day, she delivered 10 more kills while hitting .444 (just two errors in 18 swings) with four digs, two blocks, two assists and a service ace.
Key currently ranks third in the OVC with 0.91 blocks per set while she also ranks in the top-10 in the league in blocks per set (1.07, fourth) and attack percentage (.275, 10th) against league competition.
UT Martin returns to Skyhawk Fieldhouse this weekend, hosting OVC co-leader Southeast Missouri on Friday, Oct. 23 (6 p.m.) and Saturday, Oct. 24 (2 p.m.).
Key, who also brought home this award on Sept. 28, is just the second Skyhawk to win the OVC Freshman/Rookie of the Week honor twice in a season – joining Kylie Surratt (a three-time recipient in 2024). The longtime Freshman of the Week honor was rebranded to the Rookie of the Week award before the start of the 2026 campaign.
The Newbern, Tenn. native helped UT Martin to an OVC road sweep over the weekend at Western Illinois, tallying 22 kills (3.14 per set) on a flaming .356 attack percentage. Key also added four blocks, four digs, two service aces and two assists as the Skyhawks won in four sets on Friday and swept the Leathernecks in Saturday's series finale.
Key began the weekend with a career-high 12 kills on a .296 hitting percentage to go along with a pair of blocks and a service ace in Friday's series opener. The following day, she delivered 10 more kills while hitting .444 (just two errors in 18 swings) with four digs, two blocks, two assists and a service ace.
Key currently ranks third in the OVC with 0.91 blocks per set while she also ranks in the top-10 in the league in blocks per set (1.07, fourth) and attack percentage (.275, 10th) against league competition.
UT Martin returns to Skyhawk Fieldhouse this weekend, hosting OVC co-leader Southeast Missouri on Friday, Oct. 23 (6 p.m.) and Saturday, Oct. 24 (2 p.m.).
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