Gray Announces Additions That Complete 2023 Louisiana Volleyball Roster

LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Volleyball head coach Kristi Gray announced on Wednesday (July 5, 2023) the addition of three student-athletes to the program's roster for the 2023 season.

The group of newcomers joining the Ragin' Cajuns are transfers Shyia Richardson (OH // League City, Texas // San Francisco) and Chelsea George (DS // McKinney, Texas // Memphis) along with local high school product Caroline Lalonde (DS // Opelousas, La. // Westminster Christian Academy).

Richardson arrives with a pair of seasons of 200-plus kills to her credit following a two-year stay as an outside hitter at San Francisco. She scored 211 kills over 25 matches and 80 sets as a collegiate rookie in 2021, then followed up with 261 kills over 29 matches and 106 sets as a sophomore in 2022.

A proven point producer, with back-to-back seasons of recording 200-plus points, Richardson has shown to be a steady contributor defensively with 297 career digs and at the service line with 27 aces.

George is a back row specialist who debuted collegiately at Memphis last fall, appearing in 93 sets and rounding up 76 digs. The McKinney, Texas area product closed the 2022 season strong by turning in a three-match stretch of nine-plus digs in mid-November.

A product of Melissa (Texas) High School, George was a two-time Defensive Player of the Year and was a four-year starting libero. She departed as the school record for career digs.

Lalonde is joining fellow high school teammate Abby Cunningham of Westminster Christian Academy in continuing her volleyball career with Louisiana. A defensive specialist, she earned all-state honors during her senior season. Lalonde scooped a match-high 23 digs in the 2022 Division V volleyball state quarterfinals and an impressive 38 digs in the semifinal win that advanced WCA to its first-ever state championship appearance.

"These three will bring depth, leadership, and competitiveness to our roster," Gray said. "Those were the qualities we were looking for in seeking to elevate our program."

Louisiana's latest additions join Maddi Fritz (S // La Grange, Texas // La Grange HS), Abby Cunningham (OH // Carencro, La. // Westminster Christian Academy), Mio Yamamoto (DS // Chigasaki, Kanagawa, Japan // New Mexico Military Institute), Ella Chaney (MB // Prosper, Texas // Prosper HS) and Kennedy Gustafson (DS // Humble, Texas // Summer Creek HS), who signed last November and December, in comprising Louisiana's group of newcomers for the 2023 season.

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Gray Announces Additions That Complete 2023 Louisiana Volleyball Roster

Players Mentioned

Ella Chaney

Abby Cunningham

Maddi Fritz

Chelsea George

Kennedy Gustafson

Caroline Lalonde

Shyia Richardson

Mio Yamamoto

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