Nuggets add veteran hitter to already potent lineup

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana volleyball, which hit a school-record .262 a year ago and returns two record-setting hitters, has added another strong offensive option to the 2019 roster with the signing of 6-foot-2 Ema Causevic of Ravenna, Italy.
     
Causevic, who plays outside hitter and right side, ranked fifth last season in the NJCAA with 4.09 kills per set and second with 4.9 points per set for Otero Junior College of La Junta, Colo. Causevic produced 393 kills, 43 aces, 63 blocks and 310 digs for a 24-7 team.
     
Causevic played for NCAA Division II's Academy of Art (San Francisco) in 2016 and had 166 kills, 34 aces, 179 digs and 34 blocks.
     
Back home she helped Volleyro Casal De Pazzi finish eighth in Italy's under-18 championships.
     
Causevic, who participated in the Gold Nuggets' first day of practice Monday, will major in art and have two seasons of eligibility at XULA. She joins a team that includes 2018 XULA season record holders Kayla Black (407 kills) and Vivica Price-Spraggins (.400 hitting percentage).
     
XULA will open the season at home next week in its Early Bird Invitational at the Convocation Center. The Gold Nuggets will play Aug. 16 against Cumberland at noon and Coastal Georgia at 6 p.m., then Aug. 17 against Viterbo at noon and city rival Loyola at 6 p.m.

2019-20 XULA Volleyball Signees
Name	Pos.	Ht.	Yr.*	Hometown	High School (Previous College)
Zora Barnett	MB	5-11	Fr.	Chicago, Ill.	Oak Park River Forest
Kamryn Brown	RS	6-0	Fr.	Chicago, Ill.	Kenwood Academy
Ema Causevic	OH/RS	6-2	Jr.	Ravenna, Italy	ITC G Ginanni (Otero JC)
Bria Mayes	RS	6-1	Fr.	Houston, Texas	Lamar
Taylor McGee	OH	5-10	Fr.	Sacramento, Calif.	Inderkum
Si Si Mitchell	L	5-7	Fr.	Minneapolis, Minn.	South
Melody Scales	S	5-7	Fr.	Blacksburg, Va.	Blacksburg
Maya Smith	MB	5-11	Fr.	Peachtree Corner, Ga.	Norcross
Jennifer Torres	L	5-3	Jr.	Jacksonville, Fla.	Trinity Christian Academy (Florida State JC)
* XULA athletic classification in 2019-20 Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletics Director for Communications Department of Athletics & Recreation XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA  XULAgold.com twitter.com/xulagold www.facebook.com/xulagold