Lexington, Ky. – Hadleigh Richardson has been named to the AVCA Third Team All-America list, the association announced Wednesday. Richardson was a dominant presence for the Grizzlies all season long, consistently delivering team-leading performances nearly every weekend and earning RMAC Player of the Week honors three times.
Richardson appeared in all but one match this season and played a pivotal role in helping the Grizzlies reach the postseason for the first time since 2017. Across 108 sets, she totaled 444 kills, averaging 4.11 kills per set with a .253 hitting percentage while taking more than 1,000 swings on the year. She was just as impactful defensively, finishing with 48.0 blocks, 249 digs, and establishing herself as one of the team's most reliable passers.
With her Third Team All-America selection, Richardson cements herself in program history as just the third player to earn All-America recognition. Andrea Tuck was named to the AVCA Third Team in 2008, while Mallory Grimsrud earned AVCA Honorable Mention honors in both 2016 and 2017.
"This award is the culmination of Hadleigh's outstanding career, and I couldn't be more thrilled to see her join Andrea Tuck (2008 Third Team) and Mallory Grimsrud (2016-2017 Honorable Mention) as the only All-Americans in our program's history. Last fall, Hadleigh was already a key contributor, but this spring she stepped into an even larger role, embracing the challenge of producing at the highest level for our team's success. Week after week, she elevated her play to match the competition and took over multiple matches as an elite attacker. This recognition is no surprise to those of us who have witnessed her firsthand, but to earn All-America Honors at the national level speaks volumes about her impact on the court and Adams State program," said Head Coach Garcia Ramser.
For Richardson, the All-America recognition serves as a meaningful conclusion to a remarkable senior season, one that helped elevate the program and will leave a lasting mark on Adams State volleyball.
