University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Preseason Camp Underway for Louisiana Volleyball
8/5/2020 6:46:00 PM | Volleyball
@RaginCajunsVB aims to keep building upon last season's strong finish
LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Volleyball officially opened preseason camp for the 2020 season on Wednesday (Aug. 5), as the team held workouts and its first practice at Earl K. Long Gym.
It was the second day together as a squad, as team members reported back to campus on Tuesday (Aug. 4). The day was spent conducting team meetings and fulfilling other obligations in preparation for the start of preseason camp.
The Ragin' Cajuns' preseason camp is scheduled to continue over the next week-plus, wrapping up prior to the start of classes at the University on Aug. 17. Louisiana is preparing to open the season in early September and is set to face a 10-game Sun Belt Conference slate against its West Division opponents (Arkansas State, Little Rock, ULM, Texas State and UT Arlington).
Returning five key starters from last season's team which finished as the hottest in the Sun Belt Conference by winning nine of the final 10 regular season matches, Louisiana (14-16, 10-6 SBC in 2019) seeks to continue building off that momentum in 2020.
Headlining the roster for head coach Heather Mazeitis-Fontenot as she enters her 13th season directing the Ragin' Cajuns' efforts is seniors and reigning All-Sun Belt performers Hali Wisnoskie and Avery Breaux as well as 2019 SBC Newcomer of the Year Hannah Ramirez.
Wisnoskie, a three-time All-Sun Belt selection at outside hitter, has fueled the offense since arriving on campus, producing 300-plus kills each of the past three seasons. Breaux took hold of the reins as the team's primary setter running the 5-1 attack in 2019, delivering an average of 10.2 assists per set in conference play and leading the team throughout the season with 15 double-doubles.
Ramirez anchored Louisiana's defense which ranked Top 10 nationally in digs per set in 2019. She scooped double-digit digs in 26 of 29 matches played and her final season tally of 488 digs marked the 10th-most recorded in the school's rally era records.
Tia Jade Smith is the leading returner on the front line, coming off a team-best 97 blocks (24 BS, 73 BA). Kelsey Bennett will team up with Wisnoskie to power the offense, and is coming off a 200-200 season of kills and digs. Both Milayne Danna and Julia Angelo are also back to reprise the key roles in the defensive specialist slot.
Louisiana has eight newcomers consisting of seven freshmen and a junior college transfer. The group is headlined by Abby Lynn who was a finalist for the nation's top high school setter award last season and fellow Missouri native Taylor Gates.
Preseason camp also provides an opportunity for Mazeitis-Fontenot's new assistant coaches to get oriented with the squad. Brandy Huskey, a former assistant coach at Texas Tech, and Josh Comer, a St. Louis native who recently worked in the Sun Belt landscape at Troy, joined the program in February.
FOLLOW THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsVB), Facebook (/RaginCajunsVB) or Instagram (@RaginCajunsVB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Volleyball.
It was the second day together as a squad, as team members reported back to campus on Tuesday (Aug. 4). The day was spent conducting team meetings and fulfilling other obligations in preparation for the start of preseason camp.
The Ragin' Cajuns' preseason camp is scheduled to continue over the next week-plus, wrapping up prior to the start of classes at the University on Aug. 17. Louisiana is preparing to open the season in early September and is set to face a 10-game Sun Belt Conference slate against its West Division opponents (Arkansas State, Little Rock, ULM, Texas State and UT Arlington).
Returning five key starters from last season's team which finished as the hottest in the Sun Belt Conference by winning nine of the final 10 regular season matches, Louisiana (14-16, 10-6 SBC in 2019) seeks to continue building off that momentum in 2020.
Headlining the roster for head coach Heather Mazeitis-Fontenot as she enters her 13th season directing the Ragin' Cajuns' efforts is seniors and reigning All-Sun Belt performers Hali Wisnoskie and Avery Breaux as well as 2019 SBC Newcomer of the Year Hannah Ramirez.
Wisnoskie, a three-time All-Sun Belt selection at outside hitter, has fueled the offense since arriving on campus, producing 300-plus kills each of the past three seasons. Breaux took hold of the reins as the team's primary setter running the 5-1 attack in 2019, delivering an average of 10.2 assists per set in conference play and leading the team throughout the season with 15 double-doubles.
Ramirez anchored Louisiana's defense which ranked Top 10 nationally in digs per set in 2019. She scooped double-digit digs in 26 of 29 matches played and her final season tally of 488 digs marked the 10th-most recorded in the school's rally era records.
Tia Jade Smith is the leading returner on the front line, coming off a team-best 97 blocks (24 BS, 73 BA). Kelsey Bennett will team up with Wisnoskie to power the offense, and is coming off a 200-200 season of kills and digs. Both Milayne Danna and Julia Angelo are also back to reprise the key roles in the defensive specialist slot.
Louisiana has eight newcomers consisting of seven freshmen and a junior college transfer. The group is headlined by Abby Lynn who was a finalist for the nation's top high school setter award last season and fellow Missouri native Taylor Gates.
Preseason camp also provides an opportunity for Mazeitis-Fontenot's new assistant coaches to get oriented with the squad. Brandy Huskey, a former assistant coach at Texas Tech, and Josh Comer, a St. Louis native who recently worked in the Sun Belt landscape at Troy, joined the program in February.
FOLLOW THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsVB), Facebook (/RaginCajunsVB) or Instagram (@RaginCajunsVB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Volleyball.
- www.RaginCajuns.com -
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