ATLANTA — Georgia State freshman libero Marta Lazzarin and graduate student Maria Cecilia de Pinho have been recognized among the Sun Belt's best, earning Sun Belt honors as announced by the league office Wednesday afternoon. Lazzarin was named to the Libero of the Year and All-Sun Belt First Team, while de Pinho earned a spot on the Second Team.
Libero of the year & All-Sun Belt Conference First Team - Marta Lazzarin
Lazzarin, a native of Venice, Italy, led the Sun Belt leaderboard almost every week of the 2025 campaign. She closed the season ranked No. 6 nationally in digs per set (5.21) and No. 18 in total digs (479), cementing herself among the NCAA's top 25. Within the Sun Belt Conference, she finished the year leading the league in both digs per set (5.21) and total digs (516). Across the full season, she appeared in 27 matches and 99 sets, anchoring the Panthers' back row with 516 total digs, committing just 16 reception errors, and posting a team-best 5.21 digs per set. She also added 150 assists (1.52 per set), helping pace the Panthers' ball control, and recorded 25 service aces (0.25 per set). Her season highs included 32 digs versus Evansville, 10 assists against Arkansas State, and two service aces in multiple matches. She closed the year with 27 total points.
All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team - Maria Cecilia de Pinho
De Pinho, a native of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, played in 86 sets and made 24 starts for the Panthers. She ranked second on the team in total points (256.5), points per set (2.98), and total kills (226), while also leading the team with 2.63 kills per set and hitting an impressive .293 on 525 attempts. Her impact extended to the front line, where she finished third on the team in block assists (45), third in total blocks (52), and fourth in solo blocks (7), averaging 0.60 blocks per set. She added 56 digs while committing just one blocking error and one ball-handling error all season. De Pinho posted multiple standout performances, highlighted by 23 kills and 25 points on App State (11/1). She also notched season highs with seven total blocks at James Madison (10/4) and six digs versus Arkansas State (9/26).
