BOSTON, Mass. – The Wentworth Institute of Technology women's volleyball team had two student-athletes recognized by the New England Women's Volleyball Association (NEWVA) for their performances this season. Senior middle hitter Riley Waggoner (Simi Valley, Calif.) and sophomore setter Ashley Cao (Morrisville, N.C.) were both named NEWVA All-New England Honorable Mention.
The NEWVA annual award recipients are nominated by and voted on by the organization's member head coaches. The coaches represent the seven conferences competing in New England, including the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC), Little East Conference (LEC), Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC), North Atlantic Conference (NAC), New England Collegiate Conference (NECC), New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), and New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC).
Waggoner was named honorable mention after her senior season with the Black and Gold featured 181 kills, 44 total blocks, and a team-high 39 block assists. Her best all-around performance of the season came in a 3-0 sweep against Nichols on October 26, a match in which she led the team with 13 kills and six blocks, while hitting a near-perfect .813 (13-0-16). Waggoner's hitting percentage of .304 also ranked fourth highest in the CCC this season, helping her earn a spot on the Second Team All-CCC for the second-straight year.
Waggoner completed her career with 75 matches under her belt, totaling 484 kills and 134 blocks to go along with a hitting percentage of .310 that ranks second all-time in the program's history.
Cao had a breakout sophomore season where she had more than double her kill total from her freshman campaign of 59 with 124 this season. In 25 matches, Cao had 321 assists and 3.38 assists per set. She also contributed with 21 blocks and 187 digs and topped 20 assists in two contests this season. In six of the team's last seven matches she had 10 or more assists. Cao was also named to the Second Team All-CCC this season.
For her career, Cao has 183 kills in 54 matches to go along with a .145 hitting percentage, 751 assists, and 371 digs.
Wentworth finished the season with a 15-10 overall record and a 7-2 record in CCC play. The 7-2 record was good for third in the CCC, where the Leopards hosted, for the sixth straight season, a CCC Quarterfinal match.
