Brina Barrientos
The Commission on Athletics (COA) recognized women’s volleyball star Ashley Lugo-Brown, 19, as an All-American athlete and Player of the Year for the Western State Conference South in December.
She shared this title with Kelly Kirk from Citrus College.
Lugo-Brown started playing her freshman year at Pine Ridge High School in Deltona, Fla.
Graduating high school, Lugo-Brown did not know she would be playing volleyball in college.
She said she was standing by the administration building one day holding her bag that had the name of the volleyball club she was in, Orlando Volleyball Academy.
Coach Nabil Mardini recognized the club and asked her to practice with the Pierce women’s volleyball team.
Eventually she joined the team and has been playing middle blocker.
When she first arrived at Pierce College, “she came raw,” said Mardini, who has trained her this past year.
With all her practice and weight training “she has developed” and will become a Division 1 player.
“I never thought I was that good, until I got here,” said Lugo-Brown.
Lugo-Brown is now a sophomore majoring in business and film.
She hopes to transfer to USC and continue playing volleyball as a Division I player.
But she does not know if she will play any further after college.
“She is a good teammate, a good player and a good person,” said teammate Ashley Murray, 20.
She said that Lugo-Brown has worked very hard throughout the season.
She came in new and has done an “awesome job.”
The team took second place in the state competition in December 2006.
“I think the good thing that separates us from other teams is that we play as a team.
We care about each other,” said Lugo-Brown.
This is the second time a Pierce women’s volleyball player has received this award since Mardini has been coaching.
Megan O’Connell received this same honor in 2002.
Ashley Lugo-Brown(8), with Kristin Gorman(5) and Ashley Murray(3), is a motivator on the court through both her strong play and her leadership. ()