BATON ROUGE — LSU’s Jennifer Hampton was named to the All-Louisiana volleyball first team, while Cara Causey earned second-team honors, as announced by the Louisiana Sports Writer’s Association on Sunday.
In addition to Hampton and Causey, sophomore Regan Hood earned honorable mention recognition.
A three-time All-Louisiana selection, this is the second-straight year Hampton has garnered first-team honors. The senior from Houston led the Tigers in kills, kills per game, digs and digs per game and was tied for the team-lead in service aces. The Southeastern Conference Player of the Week from Nov. 5, she ranked fifth in the league in kills per game and 10th in digs per game.
She recorded 17 double-doubles on the year with seven 20-plus kills matches. Earlier in the season the outside hitter was named the Sugar Bowl Classic Most Valuable Player and was a member of the Florida State Invitational All-Tournament team. Against Florida A&M, she recorded a career-high 28 kills and topped her career-high with 24 digs against Ole Miss.
One of only four players to record both 1,000 kill and 1,000 digs for her career, the Houston native is the first player in school history to lead the team in digs for four-consecutive seasons. The school record holder in career attack attempts, she completed her career ranked seventh in career kills and third in career digs in LSU history.
The team leader in blocks per game, Causey ranked second in the SEC in blocks per game by a freshman. A member of the Florida State Invitational All-Tournament team, the Longview, Texas, native ranked second on the team in overall blocks, solo blocks and block assists. Ranked third on the team in hitting percentage, she hit at over a .600 clip against both Brown and Ole Miss while recording better than 10 kills.
Twelve times in 2002 Causey recorded four or more blocks in a match and posted six matches with six or more blocks. Against Louisiana-Lafayette, she knocked down her career high with 17 kills. In a five-game win on the road at regionally ranked Georgia, she recorded her career high with eight blocks.
While leading the team in overall blocks, solo blocks and block assists, Hood ranked third among underclassmen in blocks per game in the SEC. The Carrollton, Texas, native also ranked second on the team in kills, kills per game and attacking percentage. In 16 matches she recorded double-figure kills totals, including a career-high 21 against Florida A&M.
In 11 matches, Hood posted four or more blocks and recorded six or more blocks in six matches in 2002. Against Ole Miss she tied her career high with nine blocks. On seven occasions she hit at better than a .400 clip including a career-high .615 against Auburn.
The LSWA All-Louisiana volleyball team was selected by state sports information representatives, regardless of position, from nominations submitted by the volleyball contacts at the 14 participating state institutions. The traditional 12-member team with honorable mention selections was expanded to 13 members this year due to a tie for the final position on the second team.
2002 LSWA All-Louisiana Selections
First Team
Name Position School
Kui Fletcher Outside Hitter Nicholls State
Sara Gascon Libero Southeastern Louisiana
Jennifer Hampton Outside Hitter LSU
Britney Hurst Outside Hitter Tulane
Clarice Laires Middle Blocker Louisiana-Lafayette
Maggie Schaefer Outside Hitter Loyola
Second Team
Name Position School
Cara Causey Middle Blocker LSU
Jennifer Cruz Outside Hitter New Orleans
Kelli Dickson Setter Tulane
Deva Fowler Middle Blocker Tulane
Lia Mora Setter Louisiana Tech
Cristine Sant’Anna Outside Hitter Louisiana Tech
Tiffany Smoke Outside Hitter Grambling State
Honorable Mention: Mayumi Takeuchi, Southern; Priscilla Lima, Louisiana-Lafayette; Regan Hood, LSU; Megan Rush, Louisiana Tech; Melissa Caravella, New Orleans; Catey Batte, Centenary
Player of the Year: Britney Hurst, Tulane
Newcomer of the Year: Kui Fletcher, Nicholls State
Freshman of the Year: Kelli Dickson, Tulane
Coach of the Year: Greg Castillo, Loyola