Islanders’ Faith Panhans crowned 2021 Southland Volleyball Player of the Year 

Houston Baptist, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi land five selections each to lead the conference 

2021 Southland Volleyball Tournament 

FRISCO, Texas – Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s Faith Panhans is the 2021 Southland Conference Volleyball Player of the Year, the league announced Wednesday. Along with the All-Conference Teams.

Houston Baptist and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi produced five selections apiece to lead all eight schools represented on the all-conference rosters. McNeese earned a trio of selections, followed by New Orleans, Northwestern State and Southeastern, with two honorees apiece. UIW and NIcholls round out the teams with one selection each.

Panhans also repeats as the Setter of the Year after pacing the Islanders to a 17-9, 13-1 SLC record and leading the league in assists per set (11.21). The junior setter was named Southland Player of the Week three times this season.

Carissa Barnes retained her Libero of the Year title after helping A&M-Corpus Christi secure the No. 1 seed at the Southland Tournament. For 12 consecutive weeks, Barnes has led the nation in digs per set (6.52). Barnes ranks first in the Southland in digs (305) and digs per set (6.35). The junior libero earned seven player of the week awards this fall.

NSU’s Symone Wesley was named the league’s Newcomer of the Year after pushing the Lady Demons to the No. 6 seed at the conference tournament. After transferring from Houston, Wesley recorded 317 points, 299 digs and 285 kills in her first season of action with NSU.

Freshman Cicily Hidalgo made an immediate impact for the Lady Lions, helping SLU to the No. 4 seed and earning Freshman of the Year and all-conference first team honors along the way. Hidalgo has been a key component of the potent Southeastern offense, ranking first in the league in kills per set (3.88) and points (223). The Opelousas, La., native grabbed a pair of Southland Player of the Week awards.

HBU’s head coach Trent Herman becomes the first Husky to be named Katrinka Jo Crawford Coach of the Year. HBU persevered after the passing of assistant coach Molly Howard Grewig to grab the No. 2 seed at the Southland Tournament with a 12-2 SLC record. HBU leads the conference in digs with 17.29 per set and blocks per set (2.74).

Each individual Southland Conference superlative award winner and all-conference honoree will be recognized prior to their first match at the 2021 Southland Conference Tournament, which begins Thursday, Nov. 18, inside Sharp Gym on the HBU campus.

Player of the Year: Faith Panhans, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Freshman of the Year: Cicily Hidalgo, Southeastern Louisiana

Newcomer of the Year: Symone Wesley, Northwestern State

Libero of the Year: Carissa Barnes, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Setter of the Year: Faith Panhans, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Coach of the Year: Trent Herman, HBU

All-Conference First Team                                                                                                                                                             

All-Conference Second Team                                                                                                                                                        

All-Conference Third Team                                                                                                                                                            

² – Two-Time Selection
³ – Three-Time Selection