Kendrick is state coach of the year; Tomasoni 1st team

NEW ORLEANS — This time Xavier University of Louisiana volleyball won a close vote for Louisiana Coach of the Year.

Pat Kendrick, who in her first season led the Gold Nuggets to a record-breaking 23-3 season, outpolled LSU’s Fran Flory 5-4 to earn the coaching award from a Louisiana Sports Writers Association panel of college publicists.

XULA also is represented on the All-Louisiana team. Juliana Tomasoni made the first team, Kayla Black made the second team, and Eva Le Guillou received honorable mention.

Kendrick’s predecessor, Hannah Lawing, was runner-up in state voting each of her four seasons at XULA, including a 6-5 outcome in 2016 against Tulane’s Jim Barnes. But Kendrick captured the 2017 award after leading her Gold Nuggets to Louisiana’s highest winning percentage since 1991 and the third highest in state history. XULA also became the first Louisiana team to not lose a set against conference opponents. The Gold Nuggets set school season per-set records of 13.33 kills, 2.32 aces, 1.76 blocks and 12.50 assists. All six freshmen Kendrick signed contributed significantly.

Tomasoni, a senior outside hitter from Nova Trento, Brazil, hit .287 with 282 kills, 60 aces and 364 digs. Her honors included AVCA NAIA All-Southeast Region first team and — for the second consecutive year — Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament MVP and first-team All-GCAC. Tomasoni was second-team All-Louisiana a year ago. This year she received the third-most votes.

Black, a freshman outside hitter from Magnolia, Texas, and a graduate of St. Pius X High School in Houston, hit .238 with 254 kills, 38 aces, 212 digs and 32 blocks. She was first-team All-GCAC and All-GCAC Tournament.

Le Guillou, a freshman setter from Velizy-Villacoublay, France, produced 482 assists, 28 aces and 127 digs. She was GCAC Setter of the Year and second-team All-GCAC.

All-Louisiana nominees were compiled in December, but voting was postponed until this month.

XULA for the seventh straight year won GCAC regular-season and tournament championships and qualified for the NAIA National Championship tournament.