HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana University volleyball team's historic run to the Southland Conference championship in 2022 earned it more awards as Kailin Newsome was named Louisiana's Player of the Year while head coach Jeremy White was names the state's Coach of the Year and Cicily Hidalgo earned Second Team All-Louisiana honors it was announced Wednesday by the Louisiana Sports Writer's Association (LSWA).
 
Newsome adds the Louisiana Player of the Year award and First Team All-Louisiana honor to her list of 2022 accolades which includes a spot on the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-South Team and a First Team All-Conference nod. Following a Southland Conference Freshman of the Year award and First Team All-Conference honor in the spring 2021 COVID season, the Houston, Texas native returned to SLU after a season at Wichita State and finished with 467 kills, the fourth most in a single season in SLU history. She had 1,172 total attacks on the year, seventh most in program history and was the lone player in both the Southland Conference as well as the state of Louisiana to have more than four kills per set for the season, finishing at 4.17. Having also been named Louisiana's 2020-21 Freshman of the Year, Newsome is now a two-time All-Louisiana First Team selection.
 
Hidalgo, a native of Opelousas, makes her first appearance on an All-Louisiana squad as a member of the Second Team. She battled through injury to finish the season with 334 kills on the year on a .239 hitting percentage, putting down an average of 3.27 kills per set. The fall 2021 Southland Conference Freshman of the Year earned a spot on an All-Southland Conference team for the second straight season, being named to the Second Team this season.
 
White earns his first Coach of the Year accolade from the LSWA as he guided the Lady Lions to their best season in decades as well as the team's first ever Southland Conference Championship and NCAA National Tournament appearance. Southeastern's 25 wins in 2022 was the most since SLU won a program record 28 matches back in 1996. The 13 wins in SLC play are the most in-conference wins since 2001 and the first time Southeastern won 10 or more league matches since 2002. SLU was undefeated at home (13-0), which included the Southland Tournament semifinals and finals, and in neutral site (7-0) matches in 2022.
 
Looking to build off the success of the 2022 season, the 2023 Lady Lions season begins with the Green & Gold Scrimmage on August 18^th at 6:30 p.m. in the Pride Roofing University Center.
 
DIGGIN' IT CLUB / S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the Southeastern volleyball program are encouraged to join the Diggin' It Club. Lion volleyball alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners.
 
All membership fees and donations to both the Diggin' It Club and S Club (volleyball) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern volleyball program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Lady Lions Volleyball, follow @LionUpVB or @JWhiteSLU on Twitter, @LionUpVB on Instagram, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.