Bio

Wrapping up a storybook career at Cowley College, sophomore Rossana Papa was named the school's 2024 Female Athlete of the Year during the annual athletic banquet held Wednesday inside W.S. Scott Auditorium.

Papa came to Cowley from Brescia, Italy. Having a stellar career in her home country, she continued her success at Cowley, where, as a freshman, she was named NJCAA First Team All-American, AVCA Second Team All-American, Volleyball Magazine All-American, First Team All-District, KJCCC First Team All-Conference, KJCCC Freshman of the Year, KJCCC Setter of the Year, and Five-time KJCCC Setter of the Week as she helped the Lady Tiger volleyball team finish as the national runner-up.

She redshirted during the 2022 season due to injury but returned stronger than ever to the court in 2023.

As a sophomore, Papa was named the NJCAA DII Player of the Year, NJCAA Player of the Tournament, NJCAA First Team All-American twice, AVCA First Team All-American, AVCA Second Team All-American, Volleyballmag.com All-American, Plains A District First Team All-District twice, KJCCC First Team All-Conference twice, KJCCC Most Valuable Player, KJCCC Setter of the Year twice, and KJCCC Setter of the week multiple times.

She led Cowley to a national championship and a perfect 41-0 record. In her career, she only lost one match, the national championship match in 2021. Her career record at Cowley is 82-1.

For her career at Cowley, Papa recorded 3,075 career assists (second all-time in Cowley history), 180 service aces (all-time Cowley leader), and 565 digs.

She recently signed a letter of intent with NCAA Division I Missouri State University.