Gold Nuggets' Reuther selected first-team All-Louisiana

TAYLOR REUTHER

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana's Taylor Reuther was a first-team selection on the All-Louisiana women's volleyball team announced late Saturday.

It's the second consecutive year that Reuther -- a 5-foot-7 sophomore outside hitter from Metairie, La., and a graduate of St. Mary's Dominican High School -- was named All-Louisiana. She made the second team in 2011.

Reuther led the Gold Nuggets in kills, aces and digs for the second consecutive season and led the NAIA in aces per set. She was third-team Capital One Academic All-America® and the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year.

Reuther's coach, Christabell Hamilton, was the runner-up for Coach of the Year. Hamilton, the winner of this award in 2011, lost 6-5 in the voting to Northwestern State's Hugh and Stephanie Hernesman, who led the Lady Demons to their first winning season since 1987. Hamilton recently resigned after two seasons at Xavier and was replaced by her assistant, Hannah Lawing.

Xavier was 22-8 in 2012 and, for the second consecutive year, won GCAC regular-season and tournament championships and qualified for the NAIA National Championship.

A Louisiana Sports Writers Association panel selected the All-Louisiana team, which consists of players from NCAA Division I and NAIA members.


2012 All-Louisiana Volleyball

First Team
Stacey DiFrancesco, Northwestern State
Courtney Donald, Southeastern Louisiana
Desiree Elliott, LSU
Mandi Gandi, Louisiana-Lafayette
Madie Jones, LSU
Taylor Reuther, Xavier
Libero: Meghan Mannari, LSU

Second Team
Carolyn Baker, Dillard
Courtni Bauer, McNeese State
Helen Boyle, LSU
Blair Claypoole, Louisiana-Lafayette
Cori Martone, Tulane
Emily Sweet, Northwestern State
Libero: Keelie Arneson, Northwestern State

Player of the Year: Courtney Donald, Southeastern Louisiana
Libero of the Year: Meghan Mannari, LSU
Freshman of the Year: Caiti O’Connell, Northwestern State
Coach of the Year: Hugh and Stephanie Hernesman, Northwestern State

Honorable Mention
Caitlyn Auxillen, Louisiana-Lafayette; Maria Coelho, Louisiana Tech; Caiti O’Connell, Northwestern State; Lavinia Tataran, Louisiana-Lafayette

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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