LIVINGSTON, Ala. – After helping lead the University of West Alabama volleyball team to a 3-1 start, Rachele Zanini has been named the Gulf South Conference Freshman of the Week following the opening weekend of the 2026 season.

The freshman setter made an immediate impact for the Tigers at the Bobcat Classic in Milledgeville, Georgia, totaling 125 assists, 49 digs, 10 kills and nine service aces across four matches. Zanini averaged 7.81 assists and 3.06 digs per set while helping guide the UWA offense to wins over Georgia College, Albany State and Southern Wesleyan.

Zanini began her collegiate career by dishing out 24 assists in West Alabama's season-opening sweep of Georgia College. Her distribution helped produce a balanced Tiger attack as Ola Winiarek, Klára Bobánová and Jazlyn Snow combined for 26 kills.

The Peschiera del Garda, Italy native followed with 29 assists, 12 digs and five service aces in UWA's 3-1 victory over Albany State. The Tigers hit .307 as a team in the win.

Zanini continued to fill the stat sheet on Saturday, recording 34 assists and 16 digs against Carson-Newman before turning in her best all-around performance of the weekend in a five-set victory over Southern Wesleyan.

Against the Warriors, Zanini finished with 38 assists, 17 digs, four service aces and three kills. Her serving helped swing momentum in the second set as she delivered three consecutive aces during UWA's 25-15 victory. She also added a setter dump in the third and a kill during the Tigers' fast start in the decisive fifth set.

The award is the first GSC weekly honor of Zanini's collegiate career.

Zanini and the Tigers return to action Friday at the Reddie Tiger Invitational in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. West Alabama opens the tournament against LeMoyne-Owen at 11 a.m.