CARROLLTON, GA. - After hosting the season-opening GSU Invitational, Georgia State competes in its second tournament of the 2024 season facing Morgan State, UNC Asheville and West Georgia at the West Georgia Tournament on Sep. 6-7.
The Panthers will face Morgan State and UNC Asheville before their matchup against West Georgia on Sep. 7 at 1:00 p.m. Head coach Flavia Siqueira travels to her first away tournament at Georgia State after serving as the head coach at Auburn Montogmery for five seasons.
Georgia State and West Georgia are meeting for the first time in program history. The Panthers will also be competing against Morgan State and UNC Asheville for the first time in program history.
Georgia State welcomes back five key players from the 2023 season, including Livy Kowalkowski, Kayla Broom, Jahniya Jackson, Akira Burt and Izzy Durnell. Kowalkowski, who led the Sun Belt Conference with 507 digs last season, finished ranked 56th nationally in digs. On Sept. 5 2023, Kowalkowski earned Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week honors. Sophomore Akira Burt, the Sun Belt Conference leader in blocks, returns to strengthen the Panthers' lineup. As a freshman, Burt averaged 1.24 blocks per set and accumulated a total of 102 blocks.
The Panthers added 14 new faces to the 2024 team, including ten transfers and four true freshmen. New Panthers Myllena Torquetti, Alessia Cappai and Kaleigh Fitzgerald followed Coach Siqueira from Auburn Montgomery.
Graduate transfer Kaleigh Fitzgerald was the 2023 Gulf South Conference Libero of the Year, leading Auburn Montgomery with 59 aces and 482 digs. Myllena Torquetti averaged 1.86 kills per set and ranked third on the team with 219 kills last season. Junior transfer Alessia Cappai was the top offensive threat for the Warhawks, leading the team with 227 kills on 586 total attacks.
Georgia State is set to compete in the Tiger Invitational Tournament on Sept. 13, following the West Georgia Tournament. The Panthers will face Tennessee State, Bethune-Cookman and Mississippi Valley State.
