Coldewey Named Backrow Player of the Year; Five Earn All-SCAC Honors

SEGUIN, TEXAS -- The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) announced this year's awards in volleyball as determined by a vote of the league's head coaches and sports information directors. Senior libero Faith Coldewey (Floresville/Floresville) was named SCAC Backrow Player of the Year for the first time in her career and was joined by Brylie Nedd (Sealy/Sealy) and Shavonne Respondek (San Antonio/Madison) on the SCAC's first team.

Bulldogs outside hitter Ryann Ely (Montgomery/Concordia Lutheran) and middle blocker Andie Lozano-Lomeli (Brownsville/Pace) were named All-SCAC honorable mention.

Coldewey led the SCAC with 6.18 digs per set and totaled a SCAC-leading 343 digs in conference play. The three-time SCAC Defensive Player of the Week had 18 matches with 20 or more digs this season. The senior libero recorded her 1,000th career dig this season and recorded a career-high 39 digs in a match last week against Colorado College. She added 130 assists, served 49 aces, and tallied four kills to push Texas Lutheran to their sixth straight SCAC Tournament appearance. Coldewey, a senior from Floresville, Texas adds to the Bulldogs' list of SCAC Backrow Player of the Year winners that includes Megan Lee (2013, '14), Jaci Chambers (2018), and Lexi Morris (2021, '22). The Bulldogs have won the award six of their 12 seasons in the SCAC. Coldewey finishes the 2024 season ranked seventh in NCAA Division-III in digs per set and 18th in total digs with 631 digs.

Nedd, an outside hitter from Sealy, Texas, led the Bulldogs with 328 kills and 3.28 kills per set. Entering the SCAC Tournament, Nedd ranked in the top 25 nationally in total attacks and attacks per set. She notched double-figure points in 21 matches this season with 12 double-doubles.

Respondek, a setter from San Antonio, earns her fourth career all-conference honor and second consecutive All-SCAC First Team honor after leading the Bulldogs with 501 assists and ranking eighth in the SCAC with 5.06 assists per set. Respondek also ranked sixth in the SCAC in hitting percentage (.306) and tenth in digs (389). Respondek has recorded 14 20+ assist performances this season and tallied 68 kills. Respondek moved into sixth all-time in program history in digs as she increased her career total to 1,571 digs, passing Megan Dugie (1,488, 2012-15). 

Ely, an outside hitter from Montgomery, Texas, ranked second on the TLU squad with 217 kills. Ely has racked up 2.21 kills per set over the course of the 2024 season.

Lozano-Lomeli, a middle blocker from Brownsville, Texas, was second in the SCAC in hitting percentage (.340), only trailing SCAC Player of the Year Maddie Fate, as well as second on the team in blocks (59), including a team-high 12 solo blocks. Lozano-Lomeli recorded 140 kills and finished with double-digit points seven times this season.

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