2022 THB Sports Awards: Girls Breakout winner -- Julia Andreassa
Jun. 22—DALEVILLE — It did not take long for Julia Andreassa to make an impact for the Daleville volleyball team.
Despite learning a different style of game, the senior foreign exchange student from Brazil excelled as a hitter and all-around player. Her play helped lift the Broncos to 24 wins and a sectional championship, and she is the 2022 THB Sports Girls Breakout winner.
Andreassa led the team with 334 kills — averaging over 3 per set — and added 65 aces, 26 blocks and 181 digs.
"At first, she was questioning things. She was trying to get into the flow of stuff," Daleville coach Valorie Wells said early in the season. "But, at practice, we tell her that this is what we're going to run, retry, retry. In Brazil, she's taught to swing, swing, swing, but when we're off the net, we've got to relax, hit high, try to hit a corner and play smart. We're trying to build her (volleyball) IQ a little bit."
Andreassa credited a welcoming group of teammates and coaches with helping her get comfortable while playing her beloved sport in a foreign land.
Contact Rob Hunt at rob.hunt@heraldbulletin.com or 765-640-4886.
