Fresno State Athletics
Coates to represent the 'Dogs across the pond
5/19/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
GoBulldogs.com
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Fresno State volleyball senior Aleisha Coates will represent the Bulldogs on the 2016 Mountain West Global Challenge All-Star Team roster, the conference announced Thursday. This is the third year in a row that the MW has sent an all-star team to Europe and Coates is the second Bulldog to participate (Maci Murdock - 2014).
"I am truly blessed to be able to go to Europe," said Coates, who will enter her senior year next fall. "It is a great honor to represent Fresno State and show the Bulldog way. My goal is to obtain as much knowledge from this experience as I can and I am extremely excited to play with a new set of student-athletes."
Twelve MW student-athletes make up the team that will travel to Maribor, Slovenia for three days of training sessions and friendly matches against national teams from the region. From July 10-14, the team will compete in the 2016 European Global Challenge in Pula, Croatia, featuring junior national and club teams from throughout Europe.
Coates transferred to the 'Dogs from New Mexico State last summer and finished the 2015 season third on the team with 318 kills and second with 28 serving aces. The 5'-11" outside hitter from Victorville, Calif., logged the second-most double-doubles on the team with eight and was named to the Bulldog Showdown All-Tournament team.
"Aleisha is one of our most committed and ambitious players," Fresno State head coach Lauren Netherby-Sewell said. "I know she will appreciate the experience and prepare herself to the best of her ability so she gets the most out of it. She'll benefit from the worldliness of the adventure and I think she'll learn a lot from playing with some of the stronger players in the conference. She'll likely be asked to play 6-rotations which will help her prepare for the load she'll need to bear this season. We are excited for her and know she'll help this team win across the water."
Following the 2015 season, Coates earned the team's co-captain tribute and was named one of three Fighting Spirit award winners due to her never-give-up attitude.
2016 Mountain West Global Challenge All-Star Volleyball Team
Elizabeth Pennington - Air Force
Sierra Nobley - Boise State
Kirstie Hillyer - Colorado State
Aleisha Coates - Fresno State
Madison Morell - Nevada
Carson Heilborn - New Mexico
Victoria Spragg - New Mexico
Deja Harris - San Diego State
Yavianliz Rosado - San Jose State
Ashley Owens - UNLV
Kayla DeCoursey - Utah State
Erica Moscoso - Utah State
Head Coach: Shawn Garus, Boise State
Assistant Coaches: Emily Hiza, Colorado State; Vish Djurdjevic, Nevada
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