LAFAYETTE – Among the 2019 All-Sun Belt Volleyball awards announced Tuesday by the league office, Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Volleyball had Hali Wisnoskie pick up her third career all-conference honor, Avery Breaux receive her first career all-conference accolade, and Hannah Ramirez was named Newcomer of the Year.
Wisnoskie, a first team selection, and Breaux, a second team selection, each earned a spot on the All-Sun Belt Team. Ramirez became the first Ragin’ Cajun to claim SBC Newcomer of the Year.
A third consecutive All-SBC selection – with a return to the first team – makes Wisnoskie the third player in program history to become a three-time, all-conference honoree in the Sun Belt era (1991-present). She joins Nia Kiggundu (was a four-time selection) and Clarice Laires in earning the exclusive distinction.
Breaux becomes the fourth setter guided by Heather Mazeitis-Fontenot to garner an all-conference selection, joining a group that includes Mandi Gavin, Andrea Hole and Jessica Bartczyszyn.
The total number of All-Sun Belt selections in Mazeitis-Fontenot’s tenure increased to 12, while the program’s all-time total grew to 24. It’s the third consecutive season in which Louisiana placed multiple honorees on the All-Sun Belt Team – the program’s longest streak since 2000-02.
In a revival of her All-Sun Belt caliber play from the previous two seasons, Wisnoskie single-handedly led the charge in Louisiana’s turnaround in Sun Belt play. During the stretch in which the team won nine of 10 matches since Oct. 18, securing a runner-up finish in the SBC West and a conference tournament berth, she averaged 4.68 kills per set on a .300 hitting percentage.
Wisnoskie completed the regular season with a personal career-best of 340 kills overall, punctuated by 235 piled up during SBC play. She ranked Top 5 in conference play averaging 3.85 kills per set, shattering her previous career-high SBC average of 2.79 set in 2017.
The Columbus, Texas product enters the SBC Tournament with an active streak of 10 straight matches with double-digit kills, a third straight season of 300 kills and having collected her 1,000th career kill before her junior season expires.
Breaux developed into Louisiana’s primary setter running the team’s 5-1 attack, taking over at the start of Sun Belt play and delivering an average of 10.2 assists per set while continuing to be a vital part of the team’s defensive efforts averaging 2.7 digs per set. She finished the regular season as the Ragin’ Cajuns leader with 14 double-doubles.
The junior setter has reached the 30-assist mark in all but one SBC outing, surpassing 40 assists on six occasions. She was one of only five setters in the league to average double figures in assists per set in conference play, steering the team to a .210 percentage (up from .162 in non-conference play).
In her first season at Louisiana after transferring in from Panola College, Ramirez swiftly shored up the libero position. She was consistent in her efforts all season long, averaging nearly the same digs per set in SBC play (4.60) as non-conference (4.57).
Ramirez scooped double digits in digs in all but three of Louisiana’s 29 matches, rounding up 15-plus digs on 16 occasions, and reaching the 20-dig mark nine times. Ranked fourth overall in the SBC in digs per set, her efforts have helped Louisiana rank Top 20 nationally in digs per set – and lead the Sun Belt Conference –the entire season.
Coastal Carolina’s Annett Nemeth was named Sun Belt Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year. UT Arlington’s Madelyn St. German was selected as the Defensive Player of the Year, Texas State’s Emily DeWalt picked up Setter of the Year and Coastal Carolina’s Brigitta Petrenko was awarded Freshman of the Year. Coach of the Year honors went to Texas State’s Karen Chisum.
The 2019 All-Sun Belt postseason awards were voted on by the league's 12 head coaches.
2019 ALL-SUN BELT VOLLEYBALL TEAM
All-Sun Belt First Team
Emma Longley, Appalachian State (Sr., OH, Raleigh, N.C.)
Emma Reilly, Appalachian State (Jr., DS/L, Evergreen Park, Ill.)
Kyla Manning, Coastal Carolina (Jr., OH, Atlanta, Ga.)
Anett Nemeth, Coastal Carolina (So., OH, Pecel, Hungary)
Brigitta Petrenko, Coastal Carolina (Fr., S, Eger, Hungary)
Hali Wisnoskie, Louisiana (Jr., OH, Columbus, Texas)
Kelley Hartman, South Alabama (Sr., MB, Woodstock, Ga.)
Madison Hill, UTA (Sr., MB, Rockwall, Texas)
Emily DeWalt, Texas State (So., S, Helotes, Texas)
Cheyenne Huskey, Texas State (Sr., OH, Columbus, Texas)
Amara Anderson, Troy (So., S, Alpharetta, Ga.)
Cheyenne Hayes, Troy (Jr., OH, Newnan, Ga.)
All-Sun Belt Second Team
Kara Spicer, Appalachian State (Jr., MB, Peoria, Ariz.)
Carol Barbosa, Little Rock (Sr., MH, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Timber Terrell, Arkansas State (So., MB, Wheeling, Ill.)
Meisheia Griffin, Georgia State (Jr., MH, Columbus, Ga.)
Avery Breaux, Louisiana (Jr., S, Scott, La.)
Iva Durdanovic, South Alabama (Sr., OH, Belgrade, Serbia)
Meaghan Jones, South Alabama (Jr., OH, Sachse, Texas)
Kylie Jedlicka, UTA (Sr., OH, League City, Texas)
Madelyn St. Germain, UTA (RJr., L, League City, Texas)
Brooke Townsend, UTA (So., OH, Bastrop, Texas)
Janell Fitzgerald, Texas State (So., OH, Mansfield, Texas)
Tyeranee Scott, Texas State (Jr., MB, Houston, Texas)
Player of the Year
Anett Nemeth, Coastal Carolina (So., OH, Pecel, Hungary)
Offensive Player of the Year
Anett Nemeth, Coastal Carolina (So., OH, Pecel, Hungary)
Defensive Player of the Year
Madelyn St. Germain, UTA (RJr., L, League City, Texas)
Setter of the Year
Emily DeWalt, Texas State (So., S, Helotes, Texas)
Freshman of the Year
Brigitta Petrenko, Coastal Carolina (Fr., S, Eger, Hungary)
Newcomer of the Year
Hannah Ramirez, Louisiana (Jr., DS/L, Waxahachie, Texas)
Coach of the Year
Karen Chisum, Texas State