![Outside hitter Sara Radosevic claimed Midwest Region Freshman of the Year and All-Midwest Region honors by the AVCA on Tuesday.[File photo by Karen Mika.]](https://images.sidearmdev.com/resize?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Ftulanegreenwave.com%2Fimages%2F2005%2F12%2F6%2F334071.jpeg&height=300&type=webp)
Volleyball's Sara Radosevic Named Region Freshman Of The Year
Dec 6, 2005 | Women's Volleyball
Dec. 6, 2005
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Tulane University volleyball standout Sara Radosevic added a few more pieces of hardware to her 2005 collection as the rookie outside hitter from Zagreb, Croatia, was named Midwest Region Freshman of the Year and claimed All-Midwest Region honors, the American Volleyball Coaches Association announced Tuesday.
The awards come on the heels of a freshman campaign where Radosevic paced the Green Wave with 388 kills and 5.24 kills per game. Radosevic added the two distinctions to an impressive list that includes Conference USA Freshman of the Year honors, second-team All C-USA recognition and a place on the C-USA All-Freshman Team.
She is the third player in Tulane history to earn AVCA All-Region honors, joining two-time All-South Region honoree Alicia Robertson (1992 and 1994) and 2003 All-Midwest Region selection, Deva Fowler.
Radosevic - the lone freshman on the All-Midwest Region Team and one of just five rookies to earn a spot on one of the eight, 12-member all-region squads - finished the year ranked second in C-USA in kills-per-game average and ninth among all NCAA Division I players. Her kills average also ranked tops in the nation among freshman hitters, outdistancing Princeton's Parker Henritze (4.73 kills per game) by more than half a kill per game.
She posted double-digit kill totals in 19 of the Green Wave's 21 matches in 2005, including 10 20-plus kill outings and a career-best 34 vs. Tulsa (Nov. 18) in the C-USA Tournament quarterfinals. In addition to her performance at the net, Radosevic also led the team with 36 service aces - including a season-high five in the opening round of the 2005 C-USA Tourney - while chipping in with 184 digs (2.49/g) and 29 blocks (0.39/g).
Radosevic tallied seven double-doubles on the year (kills-digs), and had a season-best 16 digs vs. Arizona State (Sept. 18) and Tulsa (Nov. 11). She hit .300 or better six times, including a career-high .413 mark on the strength of 23 kills and just four errors in 46 swings at Houston (Oct. 28).
She earned C-USA All-Tournament honors after averaging 5.46 kills, 1.54 digs, 0.85 aces and 0.54 blocks per game in Tulane's march to the conference semifinals.
The All-Midwest Region team consists of 12 players, including nine from Conference USA, with six honorable-mention selections. Members of the eight separate all-region teams are now qualified for All-America honors, which will be announced on Dec. 14.
Joining Radosevic on the All-Midwest Region Team from C-USA are Marshall's Kelly-Anne Billingy and Katie Stein, Houston's Jaci Gonzalez, Kariny Ritter and Becca Sartori, Rice's Olaya Pazo and UTEP's Kari Stacy. Ivana Bozic of UAB, Kristina Hoban and Tessa Kuykendall of Rice, Brooke Peugh of UTEP and Nickie Sanlin of Marshall claimed honorable-mention recognition.
Radosevic is one of two student-athletes from Louisiana to claim all-region honors as LSU middle blocker Ivana Kuzmic was named to the AVCA All-South Region Team.
2005 AVCA All-Midwest Region Team
Kelly-Anne Billingy - Marshall- OH - So.
Abbey Breit - Jacksonville State - MB - So.
Jaci Gonzalez -Houston - DS/L - Sr.
Liz Guard - Eastern Kentucky - MB - Sr.
Nickole Kennedy - Cleveland State - RS - Sr.
Olaya Paso - Rice - OH - Sr.
Sara Radosevic - Tulane - OH - Fr.
Kariny Ritter -Houston - OH - Sr.
Becca Sartori -Houston - MB - Jr.
Julia Silva -Tulsa - S - So.
Kari Stacy - UTEP - OH - Sr.
Katie Stein - Marshall - S - Sr.
Region Freshman of the Year: Sara Radosevic, Tulane
Honorable Mention: Ivana Bozic (UAB, OH, Fr.), Kristina Hoban (Rice, S, Sr.), Tessa Kuykendall (Rice, MB, Jr.), Sarah Moore (Wisconsin-Milwaukee, MB, Jr.), Brooke Peugh (UTEP, MB, Fr.), Nicki Sanlin (Marshall, MB, Sr.)
