NEW LONDON, Conn. –

After an 18-9 season and NEWMAC Semifinal appearance, sophomore Amelia Matson(Mililani, HI) and senior Laila Baameur(Bakersfield, CA) were honored on the NEWMAC All-Conference Team to represent Coast Guard.

Amelia Matson was named on the NEWMAC second team after leading the Bears in kills with 243 and points with 270.5. Matson, the all-around star, was also third on the team in digs with 212. Had it not been for an early season injury last year, Amelia very well could have made the All-Conference team last year as well. The sophomore who has come to be known as "The Terminator" has a bright future ahead of her the next two seasons.

"Amelia continues to emerge as one of the most dynamic young players in the conference." said head coach Mark Thomas. "Her growth and competitive drive have been essential to our success, and a second team All-Conference honor reflects the bright future she has ahead."

Senior captain Laila Baameur was named to the All-NEWMAC first team and also joined a very exclusive club with her selection as the NEWMAC Defensive Player of the Year. She was first in the conference in digs with 523 and fifth in the entire nation in digs per set at 6.01. She is just the third woman in CGA history to record 500 digs in a season, and the 16th to reach 1,000 in a career.

Coach Thomas shared the following on Baameur's incredible senior season: "Laila's consistency, leadership, and relentless defensive presence set the tone for our entire program, and being named Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference is a testament to the impact she's made throughout her career." 

Baameur was quick to give the team credit for her success this year. "It feels amazing, but it's my team. There's such a big trust deal with one another. I've never been on a team that trusts each position group to do their job so well and I would not have been able to achieve this without my team." Laila continued, "Every practice I have amazing hitters on the other side, we all push one another. Getting those reps and transferring that to game situations has been so helpful."

For Baameur, it was an unlikely journey to being the top defender in the NEWMAC, and one of the best liberos in the nation. Out of East Bakersfield High School, she was recruited not as a defensive specialist, but as a right side hitter. "I'm thankful that Coach Thomas took the time to re-teach me the game in a brand new position", said Laila who has become a scholar of the game on the defensive side since her position switch early in her career. "I would've laughed… in a million years never would've guessed that" responded Baameur when asked how her 2021 self would've reacted to winning this award as a libero.

The honor puts Baameur in an exclusive class of Coast Guard women to earn NEWMAC Conference Awards. There have been two players of the year: Christine Rostowfske in 2006, Amanda Dake in 2021, and just one other Defensive Player of the Year: Kaela France in 2023. 

France and Baameur shared the court together for three years, always pushing each other to improve. "I'm so honored to be up there with Kaela" said Baameur, "It means so much because I had somebody's footsteps to follow in. My goal was to lead like Kaela." 

Kaela herself gave the ultimate praise to the libero of whom she passed the torch to. "I hope she's as proud of herself as I am. I've enjoyed watching how far she's come in four years, but especially how much she's grown, and how she's stepped up in every way for the team this year," France concluded, "She earned every bit of this".

See the full list of NEWMAC Award winners HERE