Photo by: Chad Smith / South Florida Athletics
South Florida Volleyball’s Paula Tomasa Named Freshman of the Week
September 14, 2026 | Women's Volleyball
Paula Tomasa earned her first Freshman of the Week Accolade
IRVING, Texas (September 14, 2026) – Paula Tomasa was named the American Conference Freshman of the Week for a phenomenal performance with the University of South Florida volleyball team, the league office announced Monday.
Tomasa led South Florida and the American Conference with 46 kills. Her 4.60 kills per set was the best mark in the conference. She posted a hitting percentage of .314. She also recorded two assists and two service aces. She finished the week second on the team with 21 digs, averaging 2.10 digs per set. She recorded seven blocks, producing 0.70 blocks per set. She led the Bulls with 51.5 points for the week. Against Dayton, she recorded a career-high 19 kills and tallied a career-high 13 digs. In the match against Michigan, she added 13 kills and produced a hitting percentage of .400.
Up Next
The Bulls conclude the non-conference portion of the schedule this weekend at the Penn State Classic, where South Florida faces No. 9 Penn State and No. 16 Tennessee.
Follow South Florida Volleyball
For the latest updates from South Florida Athletics, visit GoUSFBulls.com. Follow the Bulls on X / Instagram / Facebook
Get your tickets today!
Call 1-800-GO-BULLS (1-800-462-8557) or email BullsTickets@usf.edu to claim your season or single-game tickets. You can also download the South Florida Bulls app on the Android or Apple stores to purchase tickets and parking. Visit USFBullsTix.com for more information.
About South Florida Volleyball
Head coach Jolene Shepardson enters her seventh season at the helm of her alma mater in 2026. Named head coach on January 8, 2020, as a player she helped lead the Bulls to two conference championships and a pair of NCAA tournament appearances. As head coach, she led the Bulls back to the NCAA Tournament in 2025 for the first time since she was a player in 2002 and guided USF to the 2024 AAC regular-season championship, earning her first Coach of the Year Honor. In 2023, the Bulls won the American Conference East Division, made a postseason appearance in the NIVC, and advanced to the Fab Four to mark the longest postseason run in program history.
South Florida Volleyball has won nine Player of the Year honors, most recently with Maria Clara Andrade winning American Conference honors in back-to-back years in 2024 and 2025. The Bulls have also earned four Setter of the Year honors, most recently with Caroline Dykes being recognized in 2024.
South Florida volleyball has made eight NCAA Tournament appearances and won 13 conference titles since the program's inception in 1972. The Bulls play in The Corral (1,000), located adjacent to the Yuengling Center on the USF campus in Tampa.
Tomasa led South Florida and the American Conference with 46 kills. Her 4.60 kills per set was the best mark in the conference. She posted a hitting percentage of .314. She also recorded two assists and two service aces. She finished the week second on the team with 21 digs, averaging 2.10 digs per set. She recorded seven blocks, producing 0.70 blocks per set. She led the Bulls with 51.5 points for the week. Against Dayton, she recorded a career-high 19 kills and tallied a career-high 13 digs. In the match against Michigan, she added 13 kills and produced a hitting percentage of .400.
Up Next
The Bulls conclude the non-conference portion of the schedule this weekend at the Penn State Classic, where South Florida faces No. 9 Penn State and No. 16 Tennessee.
Follow South Florida Volleyball
For the latest updates from South Florida Athletics, visit GoUSFBulls.com. Follow the Bulls on X / Instagram / Facebook
Get your tickets today!
Call 1-800-GO-BULLS (1-800-462-8557) or email BullsTickets@usf.edu to claim your season or single-game tickets. You can also download the South Florida Bulls app on the Android or Apple stores to purchase tickets and parking. Visit USFBullsTix.com for more information.
About South Florida Volleyball
Head coach Jolene Shepardson enters her seventh season at the helm of her alma mater in 2026. Named head coach on January 8, 2020, as a player she helped lead the Bulls to two conference championships and a pair of NCAA tournament appearances. As head coach, she led the Bulls back to the NCAA Tournament in 2025 for the first time since she was a player in 2002 and guided USF to the 2024 AAC regular-season championship, earning her first Coach of the Year Honor. In 2023, the Bulls won the American Conference East Division, made a postseason appearance in the NIVC, and advanced to the Fab Four to mark the longest postseason run in program history.
South Florida Volleyball has won nine Player of the Year honors, most recently with Maria Clara Andrade winning American Conference honors in back-to-back years in 2024 and 2025. The Bulls have also earned four Setter of the Year honors, most recently with Caroline Dykes being recognized in 2024.
South Florida volleyball has made eight NCAA Tournament appearances and won 13 conference titles since the program's inception in 1972. The Bulls play in The Corral (1,000), located adjacent to the Yuengling Center on the USF campus in Tampa.
Players Mentioned
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