The College of New Rochelle: Padilla Rios Named HVIAC Rookie of the Year; Three Named All-Conference

NEW ROCHELLE, NY – The College of New Rochelle volleyball team had three players named Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (HVIAC) All-Conference, it was announced by the conference office. Additionally, freshman Fabiola Padilla Rios (San Juan, PR/University Gardens) was selected as the HVIAC Rookie of the Year in voting conducted by the conference’s head coaches.

Padilla Rios was joined on the All-HVIAC team by senior Meghan King (New City, NY/Clarkstown North) and sophomore Tiany Perez Diaz (Junco, PR/Notre Dame) as the Blue Angels earned the HVIAC Regular Season and Tournament Championships this year.

Padilla Rios made an immediate impact on the team, pacing CNR in both kills (277) and digs (383). Her dig total set a new school single season record and she ranked first in the conference in digs and second in kills. A five-time Rookie of the Week and one-time Player of the Week honoree, she paced the team with eight double-doubles and tallied a season-high 19 kills in a straight set win over Manhattanville
College, setting a new program standard for kills in a three set match. She tallied 10 or more kills 11 times and 10 or more digs 18 times.

King receives All-HVIAC honors for the third time, and earned HVIAC Tournament MVP honors for the second straight season and is wrapping up a historic career for the Blue Angels. She hit a career-best .231 this season and set a new program standard for hitting percentage in a match, converting at a .593 (16-0-27) clip in the win over Albertus Magnus on Senior Night. She slammed home 10 or more kills in 12 matches, and was named HVIAC Player of the Week on October 7. She will complete her CNR career with program career records in kills, aces and sets played.

Perez Diaz earns All-HVIAC status for the first time. She led the team in aces and ranked second in the conference in aces and digs. The talented libero earned All-Tournament honors at both the Greyhound Premiere and the Kean Invitational and set a new school record for aces in a match with 14 at Sarah Lawrence College and equaled her own school record for digs in a match with 35 against Ursinus College. She is currently among the national leaders in aces and aces per set.

The College of New Rochelle has set a new program record for wins in a season, having compiled a 25-7 record, with 20 coming in straight sets, and a perfect 15-0 record at home. All five of the Blue Angels’ HVIAC wins came in straight sets, the first time that has been accomplished by a conference school since 2007. The HVIAC regular season title is the second for the Blue Angels in the last six years, while the tournament title is the fourth in the same time period, all under the leadership of Head Coach Georgia Efthalitsides.

Learn more about the Blue Angels at CNRAthletics.com.