NEW ORLEANS — – Former Orangefield Lady Bobcat volleyball standout and senior standout at the University of Louisiaana-Monroe Kacey Leblanc, has been named Sun Belt preseason first team and Preaseason Defensive Player of the Year.

Kacey, an Orangefield, TX native, is the first ULM volleyball player to receive these Sun Belt preseason honors.  Leblanc enters 2017 ranked fourth on the ULM all-time digs list. She concluded her junior year with 497 digs despite missing four matches due to injury. She played in 110 sets averaging 4.52 digs per set with 122 assists.

“It’s a tremendous honor to be recognized with a preseason award, and to be the first to receive such an award at ULM makes it even more special.  I look forward to proving my worth this year, and helping this team accomplish great things,”  Leblanc stated.

Coach Patrick Hiltz on the recognition, “I’m extremely happy for Kacey to receive this recognition.  She’s one of the hardest working players we have had here at ULM so it’s nice to see her efforts recognized by the Sun Belt Conference.  Kacey has been a leader for our program since her arrival on campus.  Her teammates respect her and I know every player on the squad shares an excitement for Kacey today.  Kacey is a great example of what a NCAA athlete should be all about.  Kacey truly loves playing with her teammates and exemplifies what it means to represent ULM and to have pride in wearing the Maroon and Gold.  Preseason awards are a nice way of recognizing past efforts of teams and individuals but tomorrow we start our pursuit of postseason awards for 2017.  Our goals for this year are in front of us for the taking.  We will take time to celebrate Kacey’s recognition and then get focused on our goals for this year.”

ULM opens the 2017 season at Arkansas on Friday, August 25th.  The home opener is August 30th at 6pm in Fant-Ewing Colisuem vs. Stephen F. Austin.