Bulldogs' Gera named WAC Frosh of the Year

By Darrell Copeland III
The Collegian

In a six-win season, there is usually very little opportunity to be recognized for great play.

The Fresno State volleyball team didn’t exactly have a season to remember, something that was more or less expected in coach Ruben Nieves’ second season at the helm of the Bulldogs. Nieves guided a team that totaled six wins this season, but that’s not a measure of how much growth was had by his team.

The Western Athletic Conference named its All-WAC Award winners, Tuesday, and the Bulldogs narrowly avoided being shutout of the awards.

Lacey Gera, one of the many freshmen standouts who saw extensive time for the Bulldogs, was awarded the WAC Freshman of the Year Award. Gera was the lone Bulldogs player to receive an award as no member of the squad was chosen to be either a first or second-team all-conference player.

Gera led the Bulldogs attack this season as she collected a team-high 317 kills for a .206 hitting percentage. Her 892 attempts were second on the team behind junior Angela Wiggins, who had 931.

The announcement of Gera’s award comes simultaneously with the signing of three future Fresno State volleyball players.

Fresno State coach Ruben Nieves announced the signing of Kasey Van Grouw, Sarah Oskam and Lauren Berger. Van Grouw and Oskam hail from Exeter and Reedley, respectively, while Berger will travel south from North Medford, Ore. to join the team.

The three athletes will bring height and athleticism to a still young Bulldogs squad, and are expected to compete for playing time right away.

Van Grouw will graduate from Central Valley Christian High School, while the 6-foot-tall Oskam will join the Bulldogs out of Immanuel High School.

Berger, who stands at 6-feet-2 inches tall, is a volleyball and basketball player from North Medford High School.

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