Junior earns honorable mention accolade
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Giulia Cardona became the first player in University of Evansville volleyball history to earn All-America status as she garnered American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Honorable Mention honors on Wednesday morning.
With the NCAA Final Four on the horizon this weekend, Cardona continues to be the national leader in kills per set (5.34), points per set (6.14) and attacks per set (15.00). Cardona became UE’s first honoree in the 42-year history of the AVCA All-America Teams at the NCAA Division I level. She was the MVC’s lone representative on this year’s list.
“I am happy to see Giulia being recognized on a national level,†Purple Aces head volleyball coach Fernando Morales said. “We were witnesses of what she did night in and night out, but to see those on a national scale realizing this is huge for Giulia and our program.â€
In total, 98 players were honored with 14 being named to first, second and third teams and 56 garnering honorable mention accolades. Earlier in the month, Cardona became Evansville’s first player to garner AVCA All-Region honors.
Cardona was UE’s first Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year and was one of the top performers in the MVC and the entire nation. Cardona wrapped up the 2023 campaign with a total of 593 kills, breaking her own UE program mark, which she set in 2022.
She was named the AVCA GameChanger Division I National Player of the Week on October 17 becoming just the second player in league history to earn the accolade. Cardona was a 4-tie MVC Player of the Week and recorded two of the league’s four 20-kill, 20-dig performances in 2023.
This marks just the second time that a Purple Aces female has garnered All-American honors at the Division I level. In 2000, Krista McKendree was named a National Soccer Coaches Association of America Third Team All-American.
