NEW ORLEANS — Amanda Perry became the first volleyball student-athlete from Xavier University of Louisiana to earn a major state award when she was named Freshman of the Year by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association late Wednesday.
Perry and teammate Juliana Tomasoni both were chosen second-team All-Louisiana. Perry tied for second in voting for Libero of the Year, and Tomasoni was runner-up for Newcomer of the Year.
An LSWA panel of college sports publicists selected the honorees.
Perry — from Bolingbrook, Ill., a graduate of Bolingbrook High School and a former club player with Sports Performance — set XULA season records with 529 digs, 4.64 digs per set and 19 consecutive matches with double-figure digs. She reached double-figure digs in 29-of-33 matches.
Tomasoni — a junior outside hitter/defensive specialist from Nova Trento, Brazil, and a graduate of Francisco Mazzola in her home country and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M — led the Gold Nuggets with 345 kills, 27 aces and 14 double-doubles and was second with a .242 hitting percentage and 391 digs. She produced a XULA-match-record 25 kills during the opening weekend of the season.
The XULA honorees helped the Gold Nuggets win Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships and qualify for the NAIA National Championship. All three milestones were XULA's sixth in a row. Perry and Tomasoni won a slew of GCAC honors this year, including Defender of the Year for Perry and Newcomer of the Year and tournament MVP for Tomasoni.
For the fourth time in as many seasons, XULA's Hannah Lawing was runner-up for Coach of the Year. This time she lost in a 6-5 vote to Tulane's Jim Barnes. Lawing resigned earlier this month to pursue non-coaching opportunities.
2016 All-Louisiana Women's Volleyball Team
FIRST TEAM
Justine Bowers, junior, Tulane
Tiara Gibson, senior, LSU
Tea Juric, senior, Tulane
Marta Monne, junior, Louisiana Tech
Sarah Ray, junior, Tulane
Stacey Reilly, junior, Louisiana-Lafayette
Libero: Bridget Justis, senior, McNeese State
SECOND TEAM
Alexandria Aguilera, sophomore, McNeese State
Chanelle Gardner, senior, Louisiana-Lafayette
Allison Hartmann, sophomore, Loyola
Angela Papach, senior, Louisiana Tech
Gina Tillis, junior, LSU
Juliana Tomasoni, junior, XULA
Libero: (tie) Kaylie McHugh, freshman, Tulane; Amanda Perry, freshman, XULA
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Sarah Ray, Tulane
Voting: Ray 9, Reilly 2
LIBERO OF THE YEAR: Bridget Justis, McNeese State
Voting: Justis 5, McHugh 2, Perry 2, Lala Avies (Louisiana Tech) 2
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Justine Bowers, Tulane
Voting: Bowers 7, Tomasoni 4
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Amanda Perry, XULA
Voting: Perry 6, McHugh 3, Jordan Yauch (New Orleans) 1, Tyler Beckham (Loyola) 1
COACH OF THE YEAR: Jim Barnes, Tulane
Voting: Barnes 6, Hannah Lawing (XULA) 5
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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