V-Ball's Smith is cited by the RRAC

Freshman named libero of the week

Smith made a season-high 29 digs vs. Wiley College

WAXAHACHIE, Texas  --  The Red River Athletic Conference has announced their weekly player honors, and Emmalee Smith (Red Oak, Tx / Red Oak HS) was named Libero of the Week.

The recognition was announced by Darin David, the Sports Information Director for the RRAC, whose offices are located in Waco, Texas.

Smith, a freshman, generated 47 digs, including 29 in a five-set loss to Wiley College. She committed only two errors in 52 chances.

The libero (le-BAIR-oh) is a defensive specialist who can re-enter on the back row at any time, and is identifiable by wearing a jersey color opposite of teammates.

They are known for their ability to spark the offense with their passes as well as their digs.

Smith, a very steady player and passionate competitor, lately has enjoyed a reputation for making numerous pancake digs.

This type of play is one that reveals all-out effort and great eye-hand coordination. A player dives for a shot, lying flat along the court. With their outstretched hand level with the floor, the player uses the back of their hand to dig a spike.

Smith averages 3.15 digs per game for the season, and has been credited with 19 matches in which she reached double-figures in the category. The 29 was a season high for anyone on the team.

She also had 24 against Nebraska’s Peru State University.

She has fired 33 service aces this season, trailing only Caitlyn Hudson (Mansfield, Tx / Legacy HS) and Brittany Briggs (Maypearl, Tx / Maypearl HS). They have 35 and 34 respectively.

Smith has made just 21 errors while serving, the lowest among the squad's Top 5 servers.

Along the way Smith has contributed 34 assists. At nearby Red Oak High School she made a name for herself as an outstanding setter.

Congratulations to a player whose overcoming efforts have contributed mightily to her team’s success this season!

SAGU has a 17-14 overall record heading into this weekend’s conference tournament in Ft. Worth. The Lady Lions are 7-4 in league play.

They will take on the #3 seeded University of St. Thomas (17-15) in a 1:30pm (CST) quarter-final on Friday.

A win over UST will advance the Lady Lions to a semi-final meeting with #2 seed, Wiley College (22-7), also on Friday, at 7:00pm. The champiosnhip match is set for Saturday at 1:00pm.

This is the eighth straight season for SAGU to qualify for the RRAC tourney. They have also produced a winning record during the regular season in each of the past eight years.

OTHER RRAC HONOREES

Katie Rosenbusch of Texas Wesleyan University was selected as the RRAC Volleyball Player of the Week.

Michelle Marques, from the University of Texas-Brownsville was the Hitter of the Week, and Angelica Arroyo, also of Wesleyan, was the Setter of the Week.

Wiley College’s Diana Castaneda shared the libero commendation with Smith.

Contact: Mark “Link” Warde, SAGU Sports Information Director, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at 469-658-2847.