University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
2019 Volleyball Roster
Jersey Number 5
Celeste Darling
- Position:
- Right Side Hitter
- Height:
- 6-0
- Class:
- Freshman
- Hometown:
- McKinney, Texas
- High School:
- McKinney Boyd HS
Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic Tournament MVP (2019)
Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Week (Sept. 9, 2019)
2019 (Freshman)
Appeared in 29 matches, listed in the starting lineup 22 times, in her collegiate debut season ... played in 95 out of the 110 sets Louisiana competed in ... delivered a 200-kills campaign in her rookie season, totaling 206 kills at a rate of 2.17 per set ... kills per set average was at or above 2.0 per set throughout the entire season ... was one of only three freshmen in the Sun Belt Conference to surpass 200 kills ... first Ragin' Cajuns freshman to reach 200 kills since Hali Wisnoskie in 2017 ... scored at least five kills in 18 matches - including seven of her last eight appearances - reaching double digits in kills six times ... hitting percentage was at or above .200 in all six of the double-digit kill performances, highlighted by a .300 or higher clip in the three Sun Belt double-digit efforts ... during the stretch where Louisiana won nine of its final 10 matches to claim runner-up in the Sun Belt West Division, generated 63 kills (2.10 per set) on a .241 hitting percentage ... posted 51 blocks (6 BS, 45 A), ranking third on the team ... had at least one block in 23 of her 29 appearances ... recorded six service aces, with four coming over the final four weeks of the regular season ... rounded up 49 digs (0.52 per set) while only playing in the front row ... attempted 20-plus attacks in 17 matches ... ended the season with a .196 hitting percentage, which ranked fourth on the team ... collegiate debut weekend was highlighted by a 10-kill showing on 25 swings against UTEP on Aug. 30 ... finished with a team-high tying 2.25 kills per set in the opening weekend DoubleTree Classic, and was one of four Ragin' Cajuns with at least 18 kills in the event ... named MVP of the Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic, and Sun Belt Freshman of the Week, after averaging 3.42 kills per set on a .404 hitting percentage in Louisiana's sweep of the tournament ... landed at least three kills each set in producing a match-high 16 vs. McNeese on Sept. 6 ... dominated the second set of the Eastern Michigan sweep by totaling six kills in the frame and serving up the final seven points ... in the tournament finale, scored 17 kills on only 28 attempts and posted four blocks in the win over Florida A&M (Sept. 7) ... was the first Ragin' Cajuns freshman to win the SBC's award since Hali Wisnoskie in 2017 ... generated six kills on a .400 percentage against ACC-foe Georgia Tech at the Oklahoma Invitational, then the next afternoon landed a team-high nine kills against the Sooners ... threw up a season-high five blocks against Liberty on Sept. 20 at Florida's Gators Invitational ... set her season-high kills total with 20 against Appalachian State on Oct. 4 at Earl K. Long Gym, and also tied her season-high blocks total (5) that evening ... slammed home seven kills alone in the second set as Louisiana topped the Mountaineers 25-13 and opened a 2-0 match lead ... provided timely kills in the weekend home set against Little Rock and Arkansas State, scoring 14 kills off 32 swings - against only one error - in the two matches combined ... generated 13 kills, without error, and hit .419 in the five-set win over Sun Belt champion Texas State on Nov. 3 ... delivered a team-best five kills in the pivotal win in the second set which allowed Louisiana to even the match ... posted three sets of at least four kills in totaling 17 kills on a .333 hitting percentage at ULM (Nov. 8) ... collected a kill all but one of her seven swings in the second set, leading Louisiana to the 25-19 win which evened the match ... with the match lead one the line in third set, brought the Ragin' Cajuns to set point with her third kill of the frame ... supported Hali Wisnoskie's career-best performance at Little Rock with nine kills in the straight sets sweep which secured the No. 5 seed for the conference tournament ... scored eight kills, grabbed four digs and totaled four blocks in her collegiate postseason debut vs. Arkansas State at the Sun Belt Conference Tournament (Nov. 21).
High School
Attended McKinney (Texas) Boyd High School … four-year varsity member … competed in 120 matches during her prep career … landed 412 kills on a .286 hitting percentage in her final season with the Broncos … senior campaign stat line also included 68 blocks and 83 digs … recorded 207 kills (1.3 per set) on a .176 hitting percentage, 107 blocks (0.7 per set) and 104 digs (0.6 per set) combined over her first three varsity seasons … was a 2016 and 2017 honorable mention all-district selection and three-time academic all-district award recipient … along with fellow Ragin’ Cajun classmate Kara Barnes, led Dallas Skyline Juniors Volleyball to a Top 10 finish at the 2019 Junior Nationals … in 2015 was a USA Volleyball A2 selection and helped her team make regional finals.
Personal
Born May 11, 2001 in Plano, Texas … daughter of JD and Suzanne Darling … has one older brother, Cameron, who competed collegiately in football at ULM … volunteered at local middle schools … is a biology major … aspires to be a veterinarian or pursue a career in animal science.
Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Week (Sept. 9, 2019)
2019 (Freshman)
Appeared in 29 matches, listed in the starting lineup 22 times, in her collegiate debut season ... played in 95 out of the 110 sets Louisiana competed in ... delivered a 200-kills campaign in her rookie season, totaling 206 kills at a rate of 2.17 per set ... kills per set average was at or above 2.0 per set throughout the entire season ... was one of only three freshmen in the Sun Belt Conference to surpass 200 kills ... first Ragin' Cajuns freshman to reach 200 kills since Hali Wisnoskie in 2017 ... scored at least five kills in 18 matches - including seven of her last eight appearances - reaching double digits in kills six times ... hitting percentage was at or above .200 in all six of the double-digit kill performances, highlighted by a .300 or higher clip in the three Sun Belt double-digit efforts ... during the stretch where Louisiana won nine of its final 10 matches to claim runner-up in the Sun Belt West Division, generated 63 kills (2.10 per set) on a .241 hitting percentage ... posted 51 blocks (6 BS, 45 A), ranking third on the team ... had at least one block in 23 of her 29 appearances ... recorded six service aces, with four coming over the final four weeks of the regular season ... rounded up 49 digs (0.52 per set) while only playing in the front row ... attempted 20-plus attacks in 17 matches ... ended the season with a .196 hitting percentage, which ranked fourth on the team ... collegiate debut weekend was highlighted by a 10-kill showing on 25 swings against UTEP on Aug. 30 ... finished with a team-high tying 2.25 kills per set in the opening weekend DoubleTree Classic, and was one of four Ragin' Cajuns with at least 18 kills in the event ... named MVP of the Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic, and Sun Belt Freshman of the Week, after averaging 3.42 kills per set on a .404 hitting percentage in Louisiana's sweep of the tournament ... landed at least three kills each set in producing a match-high 16 vs. McNeese on Sept. 6 ... dominated the second set of the Eastern Michigan sweep by totaling six kills in the frame and serving up the final seven points ... in the tournament finale, scored 17 kills on only 28 attempts and posted four blocks in the win over Florida A&M (Sept. 7) ... was the first Ragin' Cajuns freshman to win the SBC's award since Hali Wisnoskie in 2017 ... generated six kills on a .400 percentage against ACC-foe Georgia Tech at the Oklahoma Invitational, then the next afternoon landed a team-high nine kills against the Sooners ... threw up a season-high five blocks against Liberty on Sept. 20 at Florida's Gators Invitational ... set her season-high kills total with 20 against Appalachian State on Oct. 4 at Earl K. Long Gym, and also tied her season-high blocks total (5) that evening ... slammed home seven kills alone in the second set as Louisiana topped the Mountaineers 25-13 and opened a 2-0 match lead ... provided timely kills in the weekend home set against Little Rock and Arkansas State, scoring 14 kills off 32 swings - against only one error - in the two matches combined ... generated 13 kills, without error, and hit .419 in the five-set win over Sun Belt champion Texas State on Nov. 3 ... delivered a team-best five kills in the pivotal win in the second set which allowed Louisiana to even the match ... posted three sets of at least four kills in totaling 17 kills on a .333 hitting percentage at ULM (Nov. 8) ... collected a kill all but one of her seven swings in the second set, leading Louisiana to the 25-19 win which evened the match ... with the match lead one the line in third set, brought the Ragin' Cajuns to set point with her third kill of the frame ... supported Hali Wisnoskie's career-best performance at Little Rock with nine kills in the straight sets sweep which secured the No. 5 seed for the conference tournament ... scored eight kills, grabbed four digs and totaled four blocks in her collegiate postseason debut vs. Arkansas State at the Sun Belt Conference Tournament (Nov. 21).
High School
Attended McKinney (Texas) Boyd High School … four-year varsity member … competed in 120 matches during her prep career … landed 412 kills on a .286 hitting percentage in her final season with the Broncos … senior campaign stat line also included 68 blocks and 83 digs … recorded 207 kills (1.3 per set) on a .176 hitting percentage, 107 blocks (0.7 per set) and 104 digs (0.6 per set) combined over her first three varsity seasons … was a 2016 and 2017 honorable mention all-district selection and three-time academic all-district award recipient … along with fellow Ragin’ Cajun classmate Kara Barnes, led Dallas Skyline Juniors Volleyball to a Top 10 finish at the 2019 Junior Nationals … in 2015 was a USA Volleyball A2 selection and helped her team make regional finals.
Personal
Born May 11, 2001 in Plano, Texas … daughter of JD and Suzanne Darling … has one older brother, Cameron, who competed collegiately in football at ULM … volunteered at local middle schools … is a biology major … aspires to be a veterinarian or pursue a career in animal science.
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