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The stars of 2024-25 Fort Bend Austin Volleyball
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: No. 23 FB Austin has more to prove
NO. 23 -- FORT BEND AUSTIN BULLDOGS
Head Coach: Kristin Goodman
2023: 27-17/Bi-District Finalists
KRISTIN GOODMAN ENTERS YEAR FIVE OF LEADING THE FORT BEND AUSTIN BULLDOGS.
As the squad turns the page for 2024, they look to avenge an early exit from the playoffs a year ago. FB Austin finished 27-17 overall and fell short to Seven Lakes in the bi-district round.
Five starters come back from that team, including reigning District Newcomer of the Year Tinsley Welker at setter. The Texas Sports Writers Association second-team, all-state selection finished with 1,117 assists, averaging 8.9 per set, 308 digs, 199 kills, 63 aces and 45 blocks as a freshman.
Team captains and first-team, all-district picks Gabbie Kennedy (Sr. L) and Bailey Blackburn (Sr. OH) are also back. Kennedy finished 2023 with 856 digs, 79 aces and 56 assists; she has 1,656 digs in her career. Blackburn registered 385 kills, 327 digs, 59 aces and 34 blocks.
Also, watch out for Lizzie Edwards, who will be new to the huddle this fall. According to Goodman, filling Adell Murray’s shoes in the lineup will be key along with more vocal leadership on the court. This team has some “Unfinished Business” in 2024.
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Fort Bend Austin's Shun'teria Anumele
FAT BOY’S PIZZA Player of the Month: Anumele makes perfect addition to FB Austin
Over the course of the offseason, Fort Bend Austin girls hoops welcomed a new member to their already talented ranks.
The 5-foot-9 combo guard Shun’teria Anumele transferred from Brookshire Royal to join the Bulldogs for her senior season. While that might seem like a daunting task for some, that isn’t the case for her.
“It’s been really good so far, they’ve made it easy for me,” she said. “On some teams you don’t really gel together because of ego, but with this group it’s not like that at all. We all want to see each other win and we’ve been playing great together.”
“Great” would be an understatement.
The stars of 2023-24 Fort Bend Austin Girls BasketballBradley C. Collier (VYPE)
Since combining forces with the likes of Andrea Sturdivant (Jr. G), Crystal Schultz (Sr. G), Aminah Dixon (Jr. G), and Pfieffer Greene (Fr. F), FB Austin is now 12-1 (3-0 in district) through their first 13 games.
Anumele in particular is already averaging over a whopping 26 points a game, in addition to the 3 assists and 4 steals per match she tallies.
It’s evident that something is working.
“For us, our strength has been our defense and our communication,” said Anumele. “Some of the girls on the team are talented but they’re young, so for them it’s a mental thing. For upperclassmen like myself, we have to help them to understand that the game is both physical and mental. If they can follow what the coach is telling us and the example we try to set, then everything will be alright.”
Anumele sets quite the example, now that she committed to Saint Louis University earlier in November.
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
“I committed to Saint Louis because of the genuine vibes I got from coach Tillet as soon as I got onto the campus,” she said. “She saw me play one time and she just knew from there that I was a kid that she could see playing for her program.”
“I’m definitely going to be homesick when I get there, but I know it’ll be for the better. It will be a hard adjustment, but I know my family will come visit, and it’s for my career, so that’s what matters.”
The soon-to-be Saint Louis Billiken models her game after her favorite player, LeBron James, and the athleticism that she brings has already begun to pay dividends for her and the AHS Bulldogs.
Watch out for them as the season progresses.