ATLANTA - For the first time in Sun Belt history, a member of the Georgia State volleyball team has been crowned the conference's best defender as senior Meisheia Griffin has been named the 2021 Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year as announced by the league office Wednesday. 

In addition to being named the Sun Belt's Defensive Player of the Year, Griffin was also tabbed First-Team All-Conference for her stellar play this season. The star middle blocker is the first Georgia State volleyball player to earn First-Team honors since Deidra Bohannon in 2014.  

This season, Griffin led the Sun Belt and ranked fifth in the NCAA with 136 blocks, including 26 solo blocks. In conference matches only, Griffin ranked second overall in blocks per set with 1.30 and was the league leader in total blocks with 92. Her play in the middle helped Georgia State lead the Sun Belt in total blocks (172.0) in league play. She charted five or more blocks in nine conference matches this season. 

Griffin also shined offensively as she ranked top-10 in the conference in kills and hitting percentage during Sun Belt play. She tallied seven double-digit kill performances during conference play including a 19 kill performance against Arkansas State in which she registered a .515 hitting percentage.

Of note, earlier this season, Griffin became Georgia State's all-time career leader in block assists.

Griffin and the Panthers will open the 2021 Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Championship on Thursday, Nov. 18 against South Alabama at 3:30 p.m., live on ESPN+.

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