Ragin' Cajuns volleyball senior Mandi Gavin was bestowed a prestigious honor on Thursday when the Sun Belt Conference revealed that the league's head coaches considered her to be one of the Top 8 players in the league heading into the 2012 season.

Gavin, the Cajuns starting setter, was one of eight players listed on the 2012 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Volleyball team that was announced by the SBC following a vote of the league's 11 head coaches.

Gavin becomes the first UL volleyball player to receive preseason All-SBC recognition since Clarice Laires was tabbed with the distinction prior to the start of the 2002 season.

"This is exciting news for Mandi, she definitely deserves the honor," UL volleyball head coach Heather Mazeitis-Fontenot said. "She's worked very hard for four years. I remember her playing middle blocker as a freshman and here she is today in her senior year as a setter and is one of the best Sun Belt Conference, there's no question.

"This is a testament to her work ethic and everything that she's put into this program," Mazeitis-Fontenot remarked. "When we signed her I told her to come in and make a difference and she's done just that. I couldn't be happier for her."

An Arlington, Texas, native, Gavin enters her third season running the Ragin' Cajuns offense under the direction of Mazeitis-Fontenot. The squad's starting setter, she needs 816 assists during the 2012 season to become only the fourth player in program history with 3,000 career assists.
Her 6-foot-2 frame allows the Cajuns to utilize her in blocking schemes, in addition to setting her teammates on offense. Gavin has been Louisiana's second-leading blocker the past two years, registering 60-plus blocks both seasons.

Last season, Gavin accrued 30-plus assists in 19 of 32 matches played. In addition to her setter duties, she posted 100-plus kills, nearly 300 digs (297 actual) and accounted for 1.71 points per set in 2011.

"The honor means a lot, but I have to credit my teammates also," Gavin said. "Since I am a setter, if I don't have the pass I can't make the set and if my hitters don't' take care of the ball it wouldn't mean anything. I am truly blessed that my teammates support me and we work together to achieve success."

Western Kentucky senior outside-hitter Jordyn Skinner was named SBC Preseason Player of the Year, while teammate Ashley Potts, a junior defensive specialist, earned Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

WKU was the preseason favorite to claim the East Division title and North Texas (45 points) edged out Arkansas State (43 points) for top billing in the West Division. The Ragin' Cajuns were picked to finish fourth in the five-team West Division.

The 2012 SBC volleyball season begins Aug. 24 with conference play beginning Sept. 20. The top eight teams will advance to the conference tournament held Nov. 15-17 at Bowling Green, Ky. on the campus of Western Kentucky University.
Gavin and her Ragin' Cajuns teammates are headed to Huntsville, Texas, to open their 2012 campaign in the Sam Houston State Invitational set to run Friday-Saturday, Aug. 24-25. UL starts the season Friday against host-SHSU at 7 p.m., inside Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum.

2012 SBC Preseason All-Conference Team
Edina Begic (UALR, Sophomore, OH)
Jovana Bjelica (FIU, Senior, OH)
MANDI GAVIN (LOUISIANA, Senior, S)
Ashley Adams (Middle Tennessee, Senior, OH)
Eboni Godfrey (North Texas, Sophomore, OH)
Ashley Potts (Western Kentucky, Junior, DS)
Jordyn Skinner (Western Kentucky, Senior, OH)
Melanie Stutsman (Western Kentucky, Junior, S)

2012 SBC Preseason Player of the Year
Jordyn Skinner (Western Kentucky, Senior, OH)

2012 SBC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Ashley Potts (Western Kentucky, Junior, DS)

2012 SBC Volleyball Preseason Poll (First Place Votes)
East Division
1. Western Kentucky (8) - 63 points
2. Middle Tennessee (2) - 56 points
3. FIU (1) - 43 points
4. South Alabama - 31 points
5. Troy - 22 points
6. Florida Atlantic - 16 points

West Division
1. North Texas (6) - 45 points
2. Arkansas State (2) - 43 points
3. UALR (2) - 38 points
4. Louisiana (1) - 23 points
5. La.-Monroe - 16 points


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