Women's Volleyball 11/14/2016 1:04:00 PM

FOMINA LEADS FIVE UNA ALL-GSC VOLLEYBALL PICKS

BIRMINGHAM – The University of North Alabama volleyball team placed five players on the 2016 All-Gulf South Conference team including the league's 2016 Player of the Year. Head coaches from around the conference selected Natasha Fomina as the top player in the GSC this season.

Joining Fomina on the first team is Lexie Bradley. UNA's Ashtyn Kapovich, Jessica Austin and Peyton Lang also received second-team honors. North Alabama and West Florida each placed five players on the All-GSC teams, tying for the most in the league.

Fomina, a senior from Broomfield, Colo., becomes the first from UNA to win player-of-the-year honors since 2009. She started all 31 matches for the Lions and led the GSC with a 3.95 kills-per-set average, reaching double figures 27 times. Playing outside hitter as well as right side, she has also added eight assists, 30 service aces, 113 digs and 47 total blocks.

Her first team All-GSC selection is the second straight after receiving the honor in 2015. She was also a 2015 Academic All-GSC pick. During the 2016 season, Fomina was also a league-leading, three-time GSC Offensive Player of the Week.

Bradley garners first team All-GSC honors after earning second-team recognition last year. The junior outside hitter from Florence averaged 2.79 kills per set. She was also sixth in the conference with a .321 hitting percentage. She was named GSC Offensive Player of the Week back-to-back times on Oct. 25 and Nov. 1. Bradley reached double digit kill totals 18 times, including a career-high 24 on Oct. 15 against Saint Leo. She also led the team with 80 total blocks.

Kapovich earns All-GSC honors for the second time in her career. The junior received first team all-conference honors as a freshman and was named the league's Freshman of the Year in 2014. This season, she was third in the league, averaging 4.69 digs per set. The junior from Lansing, Ill., reached double figures in digs 28 times, including eight matches with at least 20 digs. She notched a career-high 34 digs on Oct. 14 against Barry. For the year, Kapovich also added 88 assists and 30 service aces.

Austin, a junior from Farmington Hill, Mich., takes home all-conference honors for the first time in her career. The MVP of the 2015 GSC Tournament led the Lions and was fourth in the GSC with a .350 hitting percentage on the season. In 31 matches, she averaged 2.43 kills per set and added six assists, 47 digs and 73 total blocks.

Lang also earns All-GSC honors for the first time. The senior played outside hitter, right side, as well as all three rotations in the back row. She recorded 288 kills and 298 digs, including nine double-doubles. The Commerce Township, Mich., native averaged 2.69 kills and 2.79 digs per set and added 39 total blocks on the year. She had a career-high 23 kills on Oct. 14 against Barry and equaled her career-best 19 digs twice this season.

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Players Mentioned

#1 Jessica Austin: MH; 5' 10"; Junior; Bio

#12 Lexie Bradley: OH; 5' 11"; Junior

#8 Natasha Fomina: OH; 5' 10"; Senior

#17 Ashtyn Kapovich: LIB; 5' 5"; Junior

#21 Peyton Lang: OH/RS; 6' 0"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#1 Jessica Austin
: 5' 10"; Junior; Bio
: MH

#12 Lexie Bradley
: 5' 11"; Junior
: OH

#8 Natasha Fomina
: 5' 10"; Senior
: OH

#17 Ashtyn Kapovich
: 5' 5"; Junior
: LIB

#21 Peyton Lang
: 6' 0"; Senior
: OH/RS