Moriah Bellissimo - 2012

OH, 5-9, Sr.
Blackstone, Va./David W. Butler

Junior (2011): SoCon Defensive Player of the Week Nov. 14 • Named Academic All-SoCon • Named to SoCon Academic Honor Roll • Set a school record for digs in a three-set match with 27 vs. Davidson (11/7) • Played in all 33 matches and started 20 • Transitioned to more of a defensive specialist role as the season progressed; recorded double-figure digs in the last 14 matches • Had 20-plus digs in the last five matches, including 31 at Western Carolina (11/5) • Finished the campaign with 122 kills, 455 digs, 49 blocks and 25 aces • Hit .219 for the year • Notched 10 kills and eight digs vs. BYU (9/2) • Posted 11 kills, seven blocks and three digs against Arizona State (9/9); hit .417 in the match • Collected 10 kills, eight digs and three blocks at College of Charleston (10/1) • Posted eight kills against Idaho (9/3), Presbyterian (9/15), S.C. State (9/17), Furman (9/24), North Florida (10/5) and Davidson (10/11).

Sophomore (2010): Named Academic All-SoCon • Named to SoCon Academic Honor Roll • Played 107 sets and recorded over 200 kills • Averaged 1.90 kills per set and 2.51 digs per set • Ranked fourth on the team with 269 digs and was fourth in kills with 203 • Tallied 47 blocks on the year, including a season-high four times • Opened the year with nine kills in a 3-0 win over UT Martin (8/27) • Posted a season-high five assists against Duke (9/4) • Posted a season-high 14 kills in back-to-back matches on the road at Wofford (9/24) and at Furman (9/25) • Tallied double-digit kills on five occasions • Posted a season-high 24 digs in the 3-1 victory over East Tennessee State (9/18) • Posted three service aces against Morehead State (9/11).

Freshman (2009): Named to SoCon Academic Honor Roll • Saw action in 76 sets • Tallied 128 kills over the season for a 1.68 average per set • Ranked second on the team in block assists with 50 • Posted two double-digit kill performances and three double-digit dig performances • Recorded a season-high 13 kills against Gardner-Webb (9/19) en route to a double-double with 14 digs • Posted 11 kills against Davidson (10/13) • Had 12 digs at Wofford (9/25) and 11 against Furman (10/30) • Tied her season best three service aces twice, against Stetson (8/29) and at Elon (10/17) • Had two solo blocks in the win over Wake Forest (9/11) along with a season-best seven block assists • Also recorded six kills in the match • Posted season-best four assists against Gardner-Webb and Western Carolina (10/25).

Prep: Graduate of David W. Butler High School • Earned four varsity letters in volleyball and track and field and one in basketball • Helped lead the Bulldogs to state quarterfinal her senior year, earning all-conference and All-Mecklenburg County honors • Posted a .458 hitting percentage her senior campaign • Recorded a match-high 37 kills • Named all-conference, Team MVP, all-county and Union County Player of the Year her junior year after team finished tied for first in the conference • Posted team bests in kills, blocks and passing percentage her junior year • After the Bulldogs won the conference tournament her sophomore year, earned all-conference honors and Best Offensive Player • In 2006, named All-County Female Athlete for outdoor track • Qualified for 3A Regionals • Was Best All-Around and all-conference in 2007 outdoor track.

Personal: Full name is Moriah Paige Bellissimo • Born July 16, 1991, in Richmond, Va. • Daughter of Mike and Carson Bellissimo • Father earned four letters in football at the University of Richmond • Brother, Jacob, plays football at Carson-Newman College • Chose Georgia Southern because of the campus, coaches and players • Lists her dad as having the greatest athletic influence on her.

Major: Nutrition food science with emphasis in dietetics.