Jessica Braga (2015) - Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame

Jessica Braga

Induction:
2015
Class:
1995

When Marshall won its first NCAA Tournament volleyball match, it did so in large part due to the play of Jessica Braga. A native of Forteleza, Brazil, she made a quick impact at Marshall and was a second team All-Southern Conference selection by her sophomore season in 1993, a year in which she led the Thundering Herd with 325 digs. In her senior season, Braga blossomed into the Southern Conference Player of the Year and led the Herd to a 25-11 overall record, with a 12-2 mark and second-place finish in the regular season race. At the league tournament, played in Davidson, N.C., Braga won the Most Valuable Player Award as the Herd took the league crown by beating Davidson 3-0, Furman 3-1 and East Tennessee State 3-1. Marshall received a berth into the NCAA Tournament and defeated Florida A&M 3-0 in the Cam Henderson Center in a play-in game before falling at Georgia in the tournament’s main draw. Known for her consistency, Braga won the league Player of the Year award even though she had not been a Player of the Week even once all season long. She led the 1995 Marshall team in kills (422), digs (415) and service aces (37). She was also a three-time member of the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll. Braga was named to the Southern Conference’s 25th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2008. She was inducted into the Marshall Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015.