University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
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Ragin' Cajuns Volleyball Preview: Middle Blockers
8/23/2015 9:26:00 AM | Volleyball
LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns middle blocker corps features one of the squad's most dynamic players who is emerging as a team leader.
Chanelle Gardner, from nearby St. Martinville, has made her presence felt on the court, both offensively and defensively, in her first two collegiate seasons.
Gardner has been the leader of the Ragin' Cajuns front row defense topping the club in blocks each of the past two seasons (99 in 2013; 106 in 2014). She has totaled 205 blocks through her first two collegiate seasons which has her 40 shy of the rally scoring era Top 5 career list.
Last season, she led the Cajuns and ranked 10th in the Sun Belt Conference with a .292 attack percentage and had 17 matches with at least 10 kills. The rising junior has recorded an attack percentage above .200 each of her first two collegiate seasons.
In head coach Heather Mazeitis-Fontenot's mind the breakout season for Gardner in 2014 can be attributed to one simple factor.
"As a freshman she didn't seem to have the confidence that she was going to be great," Mazeitis-Fontenot explained. "Now she has the confidence to know that she can be great.
"She's a little bit harder on herself when she does things wrong because she expects what I expect out of her."
This preseason, Gardner has expanded her role. In addition to being an on-court leader, she is serving as a mentor to the younger players and becoming an extension of the coaching staff.
"She has opened herself up to being an on-the-court coach with our freshmen," Mazeitis-Fontenot remarked. "It's been fun to watch her leadership grow throughout this preseason. She earned our Ragin' Cajun of the Week award last week.
"She is now putting herself out there for the team and helping them to understand that if they're not as invested as she is, then we're not going to get anywhere," Mazeitis-Fontenot added. "We've seen her leadership grow significantly between the spring and now."
Kailyn Turner joins Gardner in giving the middle blockers group a veteran presence. The junior from Morgan City, La., has been in Mazeitis-Fontenot's system for two years.
"She is coming along very nicely," Mazeitis-Fontenot said. "She is a super explosive kid who is now beginning to figure out our timing and different small technical things, both in attacking and blocking, that are going to make her a good competitor for playing time in the middle."
Gardner and Turner are joined by freshmen Nia Antoine (Lafayette; Acadiana HS) and Julia Pasch (The Woodlands, Texas; The Woodlands HS) in the middle.
Antoine was described as having a playing style similar to Gardner by Mazeitis-Fontenot. She arrived on campus after three straight seasons with all-district honors to conclude her high school career at Lafayette-based Acadiana HS.
"She's a super team-oriented kid who just wants to learn and it's been really exciting to watch her progress," Mazeitis-Fontenot noted. "She has the timing of Chanelle and just wants to be like her. Every day she's hungry to get in the gym because she just wants to learn more."
Pasch played at The Woodlands (Texas) High School helping lead the Highlanders to their second consecutive state title in 2014 and first in the newly created 6A classification, the largest in Texas. She earned first team all-district honors and Montgomery County Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Mazeitis-Fontenot described Pasch as a very athletic player who is quick and elevates well.
"She is an extremely hard worker and very diligent about her technique," Mazeitis-Fontenot said. "That will make her improve faster."
The Ragin' Cajuns, entering the eighth season under Mazeitis-Fontenot's direction, seek to build upon a 20-13 showing in 2014, the program's first 20-win season since 1990.
Louisiana opens the 2015 season Aug. 28-29 in Lubbock, Texas, participating in the Texas Tech Invitational. The home portion of the schedule opens Sept. 4-5 with Sawyer Camillo Memorial Volleyball Classic.
2015 Ragin' Cajuns Volleyball Preview Schedule
August 20 - Setters
August 21 - Libero/Defense
August 22 - Outside Hitters
August 23 - Middle Blockers
Chanelle Gardner, from nearby St. Martinville, has made her presence felt on the court, both offensively and defensively, in her first two collegiate seasons.
Gardner has been the leader of the Ragin' Cajuns front row defense topping the club in blocks each of the past two seasons (99 in 2013; 106 in 2014). She has totaled 205 blocks through her first two collegiate seasons which has her 40 shy of the rally scoring era Top 5 career list.
Last season, she led the Cajuns and ranked 10th in the Sun Belt Conference with a .292 attack percentage and had 17 matches with at least 10 kills. The rising junior has recorded an attack percentage above .200 each of her first two collegiate seasons.
In head coach Heather Mazeitis-Fontenot's mind the breakout season for Gardner in 2014 can be attributed to one simple factor.
"As a freshman she didn't seem to have the confidence that she was going to be great," Mazeitis-Fontenot explained. "Now she has the confidence to know that she can be great.
"She's a little bit harder on herself when she does things wrong because she expects what I expect out of her."
This preseason, Gardner has expanded her role. In addition to being an on-court leader, she is serving as a mentor to the younger players and becoming an extension of the coaching staff.
"She has opened herself up to being an on-the-court coach with our freshmen," Mazeitis-Fontenot remarked. "It's been fun to watch her leadership grow throughout this preseason. She earned our Ragin' Cajun of the Week award last week.
"She is now putting herself out there for the team and helping them to understand that if they're not as invested as she is, then we're not going to get anywhere," Mazeitis-Fontenot added. "We've seen her leadership grow significantly between the spring and now."
Kailyn Turner joins Gardner in giving the middle blockers group a veteran presence. The junior from Morgan City, La., has been in Mazeitis-Fontenot's system for two years.
"She is coming along very nicely," Mazeitis-Fontenot said. "She is a super explosive kid who is now beginning to figure out our timing and different small technical things, both in attacking and blocking, that are going to make her a good competitor for playing time in the middle."
Gardner and Turner are joined by freshmen Nia Antoine (Lafayette; Acadiana HS) and Julia Pasch (The Woodlands, Texas; The Woodlands HS) in the middle.
Antoine was described as having a playing style similar to Gardner by Mazeitis-Fontenot. She arrived on campus after three straight seasons with all-district honors to conclude her high school career at Lafayette-based Acadiana HS.
"She's a super team-oriented kid who just wants to learn and it's been really exciting to watch her progress," Mazeitis-Fontenot noted. "She has the timing of Chanelle and just wants to be like her. Every day she's hungry to get in the gym because she just wants to learn more."
Pasch played at The Woodlands (Texas) High School helping lead the Highlanders to their second consecutive state title in 2014 and first in the newly created 6A classification, the largest in Texas. She earned first team all-district honors and Montgomery County Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Mazeitis-Fontenot described Pasch as a very athletic player who is quick and elevates well.
"She is an extremely hard worker and very diligent about her technique," Mazeitis-Fontenot said. "That will make her improve faster."
The Ragin' Cajuns, entering the eighth season under Mazeitis-Fontenot's direction, seek to build upon a 20-13 showing in 2014, the program's first 20-win season since 1990.
Louisiana opens the 2015 season Aug. 28-29 in Lubbock, Texas, participating in the Texas Tech Invitational. The home portion of the schedule opens Sept. 4-5 with Sawyer Camillo Memorial Volleyball Classic.
2015 Ragin' Cajuns Volleyball Preview Schedule
August 20 - Setters
August 21 - Libero/Defense
August 22 - Outside Hitters
August 23 - Middle Blockers
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