2023 NAIA women's volleyball All-Americans

        NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Kennedy Wade was named second-team NAIA All-America in women's volleyball Monday. It's the second consecutive year that she made the team.
        Wade was third-team All-America in 2022 and is the only Gold Nugget to earn third team or higher in this sport.
        Wade, a senior outside hitter from Gainesville, Fla., and a graduate of Buchholz High School, hit .242 in 22 matches in 2023 with a team-leading 286 kills and 329 points. She also had 33 aces, 17 blocks and 198 digs.
        Wade averaged 3.71 kills per set each of her final two seasons and led the Red River Athletic Conference both times in that category.
        Wade is the RRAC's second All-America athlete — third team or higher — in the last nine seasons in this sport. Wade is RRAC volleyball's first multiyear All-American since Vanja Joksic of former member Texas-Brownsville (2012, 2013, 2014).
        XULA was 19-8 overall and 14-2 in the RRAC. The Gold Nuggets finished second in the RRAC regular season, then rallied at home to defeat top-seeded Our Lady of the Lake 17-25, 25-17, 22-25, 25-23, 19-17 in the RRAC Tournament final Nov. 11. Wade had 16 kills, 26 digs, an ace and two blocks in that match to help the Gold Nuggets win a conference tournament and earn an automatic bid to NAIA nationals for the 13th consecutive year.

photo by Yamlak Tsega