Louisville Volleyball Places Five on AVCA All-South Region Teams

Louisville volleyball earned major national recognition as four Cardinals were named to the AVCA All-South Region Team, with a fifth player receiving honorable mention honors. The selections further reinforce Louisville’s position among the nation’s elite programs following another deep postseason run.

​

Kalyssa Blackshear, Nayelis Cabello, Chloe Chicoine, and Cara Cresse were named All-Region selections, while Payton Petersen earned Honorable Mention recognition.

​

Kalyssa Blackshear Emerges as a National Force

Freshman middle blocker Kalyssa Blackshear delivered one of the most impactful rookie seasons in the country, earning ACC Freshman of the Year honors while anchoring Louisville’s front line.

​

Blackshear totaled 120 blocks on the season, recording 12 matches with five or more blocks. Her standout performance came at Georgia Tech, where she posted 10 blocks and added 15 kills for her first career double-double. Offensively, she hit .300 or better in 18 matches and exceeded .400 efficiency in 10 of those outings.

​

Notable performances included hitting .526 at NC State, .459 against Virginia, and .450 versus Marquette. Blackshear finished the season with 388 total points and ranked inside the Top 10 nationally in scoring.

​

Nayelis Cabello Anchors the Cardinal Offense

​

Setter Nayelis Cabello earned All-South Region honors after another highly efficient and productive season directing Louisville’s offense. The All-ACC First Team selection and four-time ACC Setter of the Week guided an attack that hit .250 or better in 20 matches.

​

Cabello recorded a career-high 62 assists in the NCAA Tournament against Marquette and finished the season ranked second in the ACC and 26th nationally in assists per set. She logged 19 matches with at least 35 assists, eight double-doubles, and seven matches with multiple service aces.

​

Defensively, Cabello added value at the net, including a career-high seven blocks against Texas. She also posted a .900 hitting percentage against Pitt, showcasing her all-around efficiency and versatility as a team captain.

​

Chloe Chicoine Delivers in Every Phase

​

Outside hitter Chloe Chicoine earned All-South Region recognition following a season defined by consistency and high-level production. The All-ACC First Team selection reached the 1,000-career kill milestone and posted a career-high 28 kills in the NCAA Tournament win over Marquette.

​

Chicoine recorded double-digit kills in 22 matches and finished with 10 double-doubles. She also excelled in serve receive, earning Top-10 receiver recognition from AvidVolleyball with a .953 reception percentage.

​

Her defensive contributions included a season-high 23 digs at North Carolina, while her postseason performance against Texas featured 13 kills and 14 digs. Chicoine also earned a gold medal with the U23 U.S. National Team, adding international success to an already impressive résumé.

​

Cara Cresse Controls the Middle

​

Senior middle blocker Cara Cresse earned All-South Region honors after another dominant season at the net. A team captain and All-ACC First Team selection, Cresse ranked inside the Top 20 nationally in blocks and finished her collegiate career with more than 500 total blocks.

​

Against Top-50 opponents, she averaged 1.56 blocks per set, consistently altering opposing offensive schemes. Her standout moments included setting a school record with 14 blocks against Northern Iowa and hitting .818 at NC State.

​

Cresse was also selected fifth overall in the Indy Ignite professional draft, earned MVP honors at the Creighton Bluejay Invitational, and captured a gold medal with the U23 U.S. National Team.

​

Louisville Among the Nation’s Best

​

Louisville placed five players on the All-South Region list out of 213 total selections from 109 programs nationwide. The Cardinals joined programs such as Nebraska, Stanford, and Pitt with multiple honorees, further validating their standing on the national stage.

​

The AVCA Division I Women’s All-America Teams will be announced Wednesday, Dec. 17.