By: Pam LaFosse
FRISCO, Texas—McNeese junior libero
Bailey Tillman has been named the Southland Conference "Libero of the Year" and freshman middle blocker
Tshilanda Diouf the "Freshman of the Year", the league office released its All-Southland Conference Volleyball team Wednesday prior to the start of the Southland Conference Tournament which begins Thursday.
Juniors
Carissa Chainey and
McKenzie Moore joined Tillman and Diouf on the All-SLC Team. Chainey was named to the first team and Moore was named to the second team.
Tillman, the native of Sugar Land, Texas, is the first McNeese player to be named SLC "Libero of the Year". In addition, Tillman was named to the first team, her second straight year being named to the all-conference team.
Tillman led the team, the SLC, and ranks 7th in the nation with 579 digs, averaging 5.22 digs per set. In conference matches, she recorded 550 digs for an average of 5.19 per set. She picked up double figure digs in 23 matches and 30 or more digs in two matches this season including a career high 34 against Northwestern State.
Tillman was named the SLC "Defensive Player of the Week" four times including three consecutive weeks from Oct. 16 – Oct. 30. She picked up her 1,000
th career dig in a win over Nicholls on Sept. 26 and enters the SLC Tournament ranked 7
th on McNeese's all-time career digs list with 1,338.
Diouf, who hails from Marignane, France, is the third Cowgirl to be named SLC "Freshman of the Year" and the second in consecutive years. Sophomore
Sanni Rantanen was named the 2022 SLC "Freshman of the Year" and Marquita Williams earned the honor in 2002.
Diouf is currently third on the team and ranks fifth in the SLC with 67 blocks and has recorded double figure kills in three matches and at least five blocks in five matches in her rookie season. She was credited with 101 kills and recorded a career high 12 kills several times this season a career high seven blocks three times this season. Her .714 hitting percent against Texas A&M-Commerce is the highest individual hitting percent this season.
Chainey, an outside hitter from Middleton, Idaho leads the team with 367 kills for an average of 3.81 kills. She is second on the team with 27 aces and third with 284 digs. Chainey ranks third in the SLC with 354 kills in conference matches for an average of 3.40 per set. She led the Cowgirls with eight double doubles and recorded double figure kills in 16 matches including two matches with at least 20 kills.
Moore is a Tomball, Texas native led McNeese with 38 aces and 75 blocks, was second on the team with 324 kills and fifth with 139 digs. Moore ranks fifth in the SLC with 36 service aces and 10th with 169 kills in conference matches. She recorded 14 double kill matches and four matches with five or more blocks while recording a career high 28 kills at Northwestern State and 11 digs against Jackson State.
2023 All-Southland Volleyball Team
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kyndal Payne, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
KATRINKA JO CRAWFORD COACH OF THE YEAR: Jeremy White, Southeastern
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Rachel Hartmann, Southeastern
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:
Tshilanda Diouf, McNeese
SETTER OF THE YEAR: Belle Morgan, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
LIBERO OF THE YEAR:
Bailey Tillman, McNeese
FIRST TEAM
Player Cl. Pos. School Hometown
Kyndal Payne 3 Jr. OH A&M-Corpus Christi Haslet, Texas
Kailin Newsome 3 Sr. OH Southeastern Houston, Texas
Rachel Hartmann Jr. OH Southeastern Needville, Texas
Carissa Chainey Jr. OH McNeese Middleton, Idaho
Leah Stolfus 2 Jr. MB A&M-Corpus Christi Denton, Texas
Belle Morgan Gr. S A&M-Corpus Christi Fort Mitchell, Ky.
Bailey Tillman2 Jr. L McNeese Sugar Land, Texas
SECOND TEAM
Player Cl. Pos. School Hometown
McKenzie Moore Jr. MB McNeese Tomball, Texas
Annamarie Alvarez Sr. MB UIW Los Angeles, Calif.
Cicily Hidalgo3 Jr. OH Southeastern Opelousas, La.
Reaghan Thompson2 Fr. MB Northwestern State Kemah, Texas
Audrey Pearce3 So. MB HCU Aledo, Texas
Anna Gadway Sr. OPP HCU Needville, Texas
Kayla White Jr. L A&M-Corpus Christi Georgetown, Texas
2 – Two-Time Selection
3 – Three-Time Selection
