Mount Carmel Academy’s Sydney Green signs with XULA

NEW ORLEANS — Sydney Green’s mom and dad played tennis for Xavier University of Louisiana, and dad — three-time ITA/NAIA National Coach of the Year Alan Green — is in his 20th season leading XULA’s women’s and men’s teams.

So it was no surprise Tuesday when Sydney, a senior at NOLA’s Mount Carmel Academy, signed an athletic scholarship to play for the Gold Nuggets next season.

“I always wanted to go to Xavier since I was a little girl walking around the campus,” said the 5-foot-6 left-hander, who will be a chemistry/pre-pharmacy major. “My dad always told me good things about Xavier and introduced me to some great people there.”

Sydney Green helped Mount Carmel win the LHSAA Division I state team championship in 2019 and finish second in 2021 and 2022. In doubles at the state meet, she reached the semifinals in 2019 and 2021 with Casey Pappas and the 2022 quarterfinals with Sydney’s younger sister Jordan.

In juniors competition, Green earned a straight-sets singles victory in a 12s tournament against another local standout, Isabella Sambola, now a freshman at NCAA Division I Western Carolina. Green and Olivia Boyd — now a freshman high jumper at NCAA Division III University of Chicago — won a 14s doubles title in NOLA’s City Park Championships.

“Sydney’s strength is her consistency,” Alan Green said, “and her willingness to get every ball back in play, no matter what. She’s a very good defensive player.”

Sydney’s mother is Brandy Romain Green, who met Alan while she was in high school. From XULA Brandy and Alan earned bachelor’s degrees, and Alan added a master’s.

Sydney will join a women’s program that owns an active streak of 10 consecutive appearances at NAIA nationals and, from 2013-21, six semifinal appearances in eight attempts. The Gold Nuggets won three team titles at the HBCU National Championships, including 2021 and 2022.