Dallas, Texas - Three Panthers highlight the Conference USA Beach Volleyball Postseason awards selections, with Giada Bianchi and Reka Orsi Toth being chosen for first team and Alice Pratesi being chosen for second team.
Bianchi and Toth, both in their last seasons with FIU, competed together the entire season, playing 33 matches, all on court one, and ending with a 30-3 record, including 10 victories against ranked opponents. Those wins included then-ranked No. 11 Cal Poly, No. 6 LMU, No. 9 Long Beach State, No. 16 Florida Atlantic, No. 11 Arizona State, No. 4 Florida State, No. 10 LMU, No. 16 Stetson, No. 18 Florida Atlantic and No. 19 Florida Atlantic.
The duo won CUSA Pair of the Week once during the season, for the period ending March 10, for their spectacular performance at the Long Beach Invite. Both Italian natives, the duo went undefeated at the event, going 4-0 and beating three ranked teams in then-ranked No. 11 Cal Poly, No. 6 LMU and No. 9 LBSU. The same week, Bianchi and Toth also won AVCA/CBVB National Pair of the Week.
The pair dominated at the CUSA Beach Volleyball Championships as well, going 4-0, playing Missouri State, No. 19 Florida Atlantic, UAB and eventual runner-up champion Tulane.
CollegeBeachVB.com have Bianchi and Toth ranked as the second best pair on court one in the entire nation, while TruVolley has them ranked third. Both Bianchi and Toth were honored as AVCA First Team All Americans, with those awards being announced on Wednesday, May 1.
Senior Alice Pratesi held down court two for the Panthers all season. The Italian native had a 21-10 overall record on the year, with 20 of those wins coming on court two with junior Lisa Luini. Pratesi also achieved a 1-1 record with Zuzanna Bielak on court three.
Pratesi, paired with Luini, won six matches against ranked opponents including conference foes and then-ranked No. 4 TCU, Florida Atlantic twice when the Owls were ranked No. 16 and No. 18, LMU when they were ranked No. 6 and No. 10, and No. 16 Stetson.
Pratesi continued to perform well in the CUSA Championships, going 3-1 against Missouri State, UAB and Tulane University.
This is the first time Reka Orsi Toth and Alice Pratesi have been awarded All-CUSA honors, and the second time Giada Bianchi has been awarded All-CUSA, achieving the honor in 2022 when she was named First-Team All CUSA.
2024 CUSA Beach Volleyball Postseason Awards
Superlative Awards
Pair of the Year: Hailey Hamlett/Anhelina Khmil, TCU
Freshman of the Year: Olivia Clines, TCU
Coach of the Year: Eyal Zimet, Tulane
All-Conference First Team
Giada Bianchi, FIU
Reka Orsi Toth, FIU
Ashleigh Adams, Florida Atlantic
Julie Honzovicova, Florida Atlantic
Marketa Svozilova, Florida Atlantic
Hailey Hamlett, TCU
Anhelina Khmil, TCU
Sutton MacTavish, TCU
Skylar Ensign, Tulane
Samantha Green, Tulane
All-Conference Second Team
Alice Pratesi, FIU
Courtney Moon, Florida Atlantic
Ana Vergara, TCU
Molly Trodd, Tulane
Arden Copping, UAB
Jasmine Haas, UAB
All-Freshman Team
Olivia Strandberg, Florida Atlantic
Sloane Woolwine, Florida Atlantic
Olivia Clines, TCU
Skylar Ensign, Tulane
Tawny Ensign, Tulane
Mila Popovic, UTEP
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