Texas Border Business
RIO GRANDE VALLEY, Texas – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) volleyball team learned on Wednesday that junior Sarah Cruz is a member of the All-Western Athletic Conference (WAC) First Team and freshman setter Luanna Emiliano is part of both the All-WAC Second Team and All-Freshman Team, as voted on by the WAC head coaches.
Cruz is averaging a program record 4.39 kills per set, the third-highest total in the WAC and second-highest in the Southwest Division, on a total of 408 kills, the second-highest total in the WAC, highest in the southwest, and 10th-highest single-season total in program history. She is also averaging 0.30 aces, the 14th-highest total in the WAC and seventh in the southwest, 2.37 digs, and 0.58 blocks per set.
For her career, Cruz ranks fifth in kills per set (3.29) and seventh in aces per set (0.30).
A four-time WAC Volleyball TicketSmarter Freshman of the Week, Emiliano is averaging 9.93 assists per set, the fifth-highest single-season total in program history, on 993 assists, the seventh-highest total and second best among freshmen. Emiliano also has 332 digs, the second-highest freshman single-season total.
Emiliano ranks second in the WAC and first in the southwest in assists per set, fifth in the WAC and first in the southwest in aces per set (0.36), and 15th in the WAC and ninth in the southwest in digs per set (3.32).
Fourth-seeded UTRGV opens the WAC Tournament with a quarterfinal matchup against fifth-seeded Grand Canyon on Thursday at 2 p.m. at New Mexico State’s Pan American Center. Fans can watch in the United States on ESPN+ or internationally on the WAC Digital Network.
Coach of the Year: Tony Trifonov, Chicago State
Player of the Year: Yanlis Feliz, R-So., OH, Chicago State
Setter of the Year: Klaire Mitchell, Jr., Grand Canyon
Libero of the Year: Teagan DeFalco, Gr., Grand Canyon
Freshman of the Year: McKenzie Wise, OH, Grand Canyon
First Team All-WAC
Katie Birtcil, Jr., OH, NM State
Sarah Cruz, Jr., OH, UT Rio Grande Valley
Teagan DeFalco, Gr., L, Grand Canyon
Yanlis Feliz, R-So., OH, Chicago State
Lauren Kersey, Sr., RS, Tarleton
Ashley Lewis, Sr., OH, Sam Houston
Shaney Lipscomb, Sr., RS, NM State
Klaire Mitchell, Jr., S, Grand Canyon
Taya Mitchell, Sr., MB, Stephen F. Austin
Lia Mosher, R-Sr., MB, NM State
Kazna Tanuvasa, Sr., OH, Utah Valley
Second Team All-WAC
Carly Aigner-Swesey, Sr., S, NM State
Hannah Baker, Fr., L, Sam Houston
Breanna Box, Jr., MB, Abilene Christian
Luanna Emiliano, Fr., S, UT Rio Grande Valley
Christine Graf, Jr., OH, California Baptist
Kate Hardy, Fr., MB, Dixie State
Morgan Janda, So., S, Sam Houston
Annabelle Kubinski, Sr., MB, Grand Canyon
Tesa Oaks, Gr., OH, California Baptist
Leah Powell, So., OH, Stephen F. Austin
McKenzie Wise, Fr., OH, Grand Canyon
All-Freshman Team
Hannah Baker, L, Sam Houston
Luanna Emiliano, S, UT Rio Grande Valley
Jules Fink, MB, Utah Valley
Kate Hardy, MB, Dixie State
Valeria Rosado, OH, Stephen F. Austin
Bryley Steinhilber, OH, Abilene Christian
Laura Walewska, MB, California Baptist
McKenzie Wise, OH, Grand Canyon
