Volleyball: Reilly and Gardner Receive All-Louisiana Honors

LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Volleyball standouts Stacey Reilly and Chanelle Gardner were both selected to the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s 2016 All-Louisiana Volleyball team.

Reilly represented Louisiana on the first team, while Gardner was a second team selection. It’s the first time since 2013 that the Ragin’ Cajuns had multiple selections on the All-Louisiana Volleyball team.
 
Reilly became the first Ragin’ Cajuns player to average above 3.00 kills per set since 2007 (Amie Goodwin and Elizabeth Inman), finishing the 2016 campaign at 3.23 kills per set. The rising senior tallied a 300-300 season of 387 kills and 347 digs.
 
She produced double digit kills in 23 of 31 matches and collected 17 double-doubles. The Houston native finished Top 5 in the Sun Belt Conference in kills per set and ranked Top 150 in the NCAA in total kills and total points.
 
Reilly heads into 2017 with 729 career kills and 891 career digs, putting her on pace to become the first to join the 1,000-1,000 club since Priscilla Lima in 2002.
 
Gardner, the lone senior on the 2016 squad, became the Ragin’ Cajuns career kills leader in the rally scoring era and the first to reach 1,000 kills playing an entire career under the format which was adopted in 2001.

 
The St. Martinville High product hit above .300 from the opening serve of the season, finishing with career-best .330 clip. She notched 200-plus kills a third straight season (264) and recorded 15 matches with double digit kills.
 
Gardner also led the Ragin’ Cajuns in blocks a fourth straight season, finishing with 78 blocks (18 BS, 60 BA) which upped her career total to 365 (second-most in rally scoring era trailing only Kim Rodgers’ 396). She threw up at least four blocks 10 times.
 
Louisiana was one of six schools to have multiple players named to the All-Louisiana Volleyball team. Tulane led the way with four selections, while the Ragin’ Cajuns were joined by LSU, Louisiana Tech, McNeese and Xavier each with two representatives.
 
Right-side hitter Sarah Ray of Tulane was voted as the Player of the Year and setter Justine Bowers, a transfer from Gardner-Webb, was named the Newcomer of the Year for first-year Louisiana non-freshman. Tulane Coach Jim Barnes, whose team won 18 matches (10 in conference), in his first year on the job, was named the state’s Coach of the Year.
 
Bridget Justis of McNeese was named the Libero (defensive specialist) of the Year and another defensive specialist, Amanda Perry of Xavier, was named the Freshman of the Year.
 
The awards were voted on by the volleyball sports information and sports communications directors for the sport in Louisiana after nominations were compiled. Voters could not vote for athletes from their own school and must submit a vote for their nominees to be eligible.
 
LSWA 2016 All-LOUISIANA VOLLEYBALL TEAM
FIRST TEAM
NAME, SCHOOL/POS/CLASS/HOMETOWN/NOTES
Justine Bowers, Tulane/S/Jr./Dana Point, California/29 service aces, 9.75 assists per set.
Tiara Gibson, LSU/MB/Sr./Clear Lake, South Dakota/240 kills, .284 hitting pct.
Tea Juric, Tulane/OH/Sr./Castel Stari, Croatia/2nd team All-AAC, 340 kills, .238 hit pct., 28 aces, 58 blks
Marta Monne, Louisiana Tech/OH/Jr./Varese, Italy/1 of 2 in C-USA with 140 kills, 125 digs in season
Sarah Ray, Tulane/RSH/Jr./Nashville, Tennessee/1st team All-AAC, 458 kills, .242 hitting pct., 14 aces
Stacey Reilly, Louisiana/OH/Jr./Houston, Texas/387 kills, 36 aces, 347 digs
Bridget Justis, McNeese/L/Sr./Ozark, Missouri/All-SLC HM, 601 digs, 4.77 digs/ps. 30 digs 2 matches
 
PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Sarah Ray, Tulane
LIBERO OF THE YEAR – Bridget Justis, McNeese
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR – Amanda Perry, Xavier
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR – Justine Bowers, Tulane
COACH OF THE YEAR – Jim Barnes, Tulane
 
SECOND TEAM
NAME, SCHOOL/POS/CLASS/HOMETOWN/NOTES
Alexandria Aguilera, McNeese/S/So./Pearland, Texas/21 service aces, 9.48 assists per set
Chanelle Gardner, Louisiana/MB/Sr./Parks, Louisiana/School kills leader, hit .330, 264 kills
Allison Hartmann, Loyola/MB/So./Slidell, Louisiana/First Team All-SSAC, first for school since 2012
Angela Papach, Louisiana Tech/RSH/Sr./Wilmington, North Carolina/4th C-USA 367 kills, 25 aces
Gina Tillis, LSU/OH/Jr/Rockwall, Texas/Team leader in kills (333); double digit in 12 SEC matches
Juliana Tomasoni, Xavier/OH/Jr./Nova Trento, Brazil/1st Team All-GCAC; .246 hit pct., 26 aces, 377 digs
(tie) Kaylie McHugh, Tulane/L/Fr./Davie, Florida/2nd team All-AAC; 594 digs, 16 matches 20� digs
(tie) Amanda Perry, Xavier/L/Fr./Bolingbrook, Illinois/1st team All-GCAC, GCAC Defender of the Year