Libero Dalla Vecchia completes Gold Nuggets' class

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana completed its 2017 volleyball recruiting class with the Friday announcement that Anna Dalla Vecchia signed an athletic scholarship.

Dalla Vecchia is a 5-foot-7 libero from Vicenza, Italy. She was selected the best libero in her region in 2013 and ranked third nationwide at the Italian Trophy of Regions competition. In 2014-15 and 2016-17 she helped her teams win league championships and earn promotions to higher-ranked leagues.

Dalla Vecchia, who will major in communication studies at XULA, is the Gold Nuggets' seventh signee. All will be freshmen this season.

Previously signed were outside hitters Ariel Bell of White Castle, La., Kayla Black of Magnolia, Texas, and Jaida Dowd of Aurora, Ill., setter Eva Le Guillou of Velizy-Villacoublay, France, middle blocker/right side Vivica Price-Spraggins of Chicago and right side/outside hitter Lauryn Taylor of Sairburn, Ga.

"I'm very excited about our 2017 recruiting class." first-year head coach Pat Kendrick said. "We have a good balance of athleticism and skill. With the strong core of returning players and this new group of student-athletes, I believe this season will be filled with exciting and highly competitive play."

The Gold Nuggets will open the season Aug. 25 in the UM-Dearborn Early Bird at Dearborn, Mich., against Trinity International at 3 p.m. EDT and Madonna at 7 p.m. The home opener will start at 6 p.m. Aug. 29 against Mobile at the Convocation Center. XULA won the last six Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships and earned six consecutive automatic bids during that time to the NAIA National Championship.

2017-18 XULA Volleyball Signees
Name Pos. Ht. Yr.* Hometown High School
Ariel Bell # OH 5-7 Fr. White Castle, La. White Castle
Kayla Black OH 5-9 Fr. Magnolia, Texas St. Pius X
Anna Dalla Vecchia L 5-7 Fr. Vicenza, Italy IIS S.B. Boscardin
Jaida Dowd OH 5-8 Fr. Aurora, Ill. Metea Valley
Eva Le Guillou S 5-9 Fr. Velizy-Villacoublay, France Emmanuel Mounier
Vivica Price-Spraggins MB/RS 5-11 Fr. Chicago, Ill. Whitney Young Magnet
Lauryn Taylor RS/OH 5-9 Fr. Sairburn, Ga. Booker T. Washington

* XULA athletic classification in 2017-18
# also will compete in track and field

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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