Natchitoches Central’s Ainsley Weeks tops Week 10 Shreveport Times Athlete of the Week poll

Natchitoches Central’s Ainsley Weeks garnered enough votes this week to win the sixth annual Shreveport Times online poll for Athlete of the Week, sponsored by Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission and Silmon and Cosse Orthodontics.

A standout volleyball player NCHS, Weeks becomes the second NCHS athlete to win in the non-football poll for the 2023-24 school year. She joins past winners that include Loyola's Mallory Thompson, Benton’s Claire Allen and Brody Hutchison, along with Natchitoches Central Tatum Kay, Caddo Magnet’s Elena Pizarro and Calvary’s Jackson Burney.

Weeks and her supporters accumulated 5,592 votes, a solid 57% of the 9,782 votes cast in the weekly online recognition. Those numbers allowed Weeks to top a field of 14 additional candidates, including Benton volleyball player Madison Smith, who finished in second place with 3,098 votes (31.6%).

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Weeks will receive a backpack, a boxed lunch combo and some additional swag courtesy of Raising Cane’s and Cosse and Silmon.

“Ainsley has been a huge part of our team bringing unmatched skill, leadership and passion to the court,” NCHS coach Kerri Kiracofe said. “Her determination and ability to inspire others have made Ainsley an irreplaceable part of our success this season.”

Others on the 10th ballot of the school year were Skyler Bell, Southwood volleyball; Ava Crowe, Ruston volleyball; Addie Wall, Northwood volleyball; Ben Ruliffson, Parkway cross country; Julia Davis, North DeSoto cross country; Carter Ward, Loyola cross country; Jordan Michels, Haughton swimming; Wesley Wynn, Caddo Magnet swimming; Zoey Venters, Cedar Creek cheer; Ariyal Pugh, Bossier cheer; Makayla Ramsey, Captain Shreve volleyball; Emily Pierce, Calvary volleyball and Kate Walker, Byrd volleyball.

They were chosen because of their performance the previous week or because their names were submitted by their coach. The Times poll is posted each Monday at shreveporttimes.com with a new slate of student-athletes in high school sports other than football.

The Times online-only poll runs through midnight Thursday. The poll includes northwest Louisiana athletes competing in volleyball, cross country, swimming, cheerleading, basketball, soccer, wrestling, powerlifting, indoor and outdoor track, baseball, softball, golf, tennis, bowling, gymnastics and fishing while those sports are in season.

Jimmy Watson covers Louisiana sports for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @JimmyWatson6.

PREVIOUS WINNERS

Week 10: Ainsley Weeks, Natchitoches Central volleyball

Week 9: Baleigh Rivers, Loyola volleyball

Week 8: Maggie Massia, Natchitoches Central volleyball

Week 7: Meagan Hill, Captain Shreve volleyball

Week 6: Dalton Bliss, Benton cross country

Week 5: Mallory Thompson, Loyola volleyball

Week 4: Lauren Taylor, Parkway cross country

Week 3: Emersyn Disotell, Benton cheerleading

Week 2: Mark Henry, Loyola cross country

Week 1: Tatum Kay, Natchitoches Central volleyball

Preseason Volleyball Player of the Year: Kaitlen Cox, Caddo Magnet

Preseason Cross Country Player of the Year: Jack Patrillo, Caddo Magnet