Rice Officially Closes 2024 Volleyball Season at Annual Banquet
1/13/2025 4:47:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
HOUSTON - Rice volleyball hosted its annual banquet in the R Room at Rice Stadium on Sunday, January 12, closing the book on the 2024 season with a celebration of the team's accomplishments.
The banquet opened with a list of achievements from head coach Genny Volpe, including finishing with an RPI of 39, a 19-8 overall record, and finishing second in the AAC with a record of 13-3. She not just mentioned stats from this previous season, but some standout figures from the senior class leaving South Main. Of note, the players who played at Rice from 2021-2024 helped the volleyball team lead all Rice teams in total wins (84), most conference wins of all Rice teams (50), and highest overall winning percentage of all Rice teams (.737). Volpe also highlighted the volleyball team held the highest-average RPI of all Rice teams in that four-year stretch with an average RPI of 35. The all-conference players of Samarah Hill, Lademi Ogunlana, and Savannah Skopal were also honored.
Next, Volpe, along with coaches Trey Cruz and Jon Wong, presented the team with awards for the season. Awards presented included the team MVP award, which was presented to Hill for her immediate impact with the team. Campbell Love earned the Most Improved award by growing tremendously in her pass game. Lola Foord was named the recipient of the Hard Hat award, and Darby Harris earned the WE/ME Award. Skopal was named the Newcomer of the Year while Cindy Tchouangwa earned the Sammy Spirit Award. Finally, the Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards went to Ogunlana and Nia McCardell, respectively.
The seniors of Foord, Katrina Jensen, Kaitlyn Knobbe, and McCardell then presented awards of their own to their teammates, coaches, and support staff, thanking those who helped them throughout their times at Rice.
The banquet concluded with a video highlighting the top moments from the season, including big wins, sideline celebrations, and big points throughout the year. After the video and a few team photos, the book was officially closed on the 2024 edition of Rice volleyball.
Volpe announced that a spring schedule was nearly finished and would be announced soon. Stay tuned to RiceOwls.com to learn when that schedule releases.
AWARDS
MVP - Samarah Hill
Most Improved - Campbell Love
Hard Hat - Lola Foord
Offensive Player of the Year - Lademi Ogunlana
Defensive Player of the Year - Nia McCardell
WE/ME - Darby Harris
Sammy Spirit Award - Cindy Tchouangwa
Newcomer of the Year - Savannah Skopal
4.0 GPA Awards - Foord, Harris, Ogunlana
CONFERENCE AWARD WINNERS
First Team All-Conference - Samarah Hill, Lademi Ogunlana
Second Team All-Conference - Savannah Skopal
All-Freshman Team - Savannah Skopal *
*unanimous pick
2024 TEAM HIGHLIGHTS
The banquet opened with a list of achievements from head coach Genny Volpe, including finishing with an RPI of 39, a 19-8 overall record, and finishing second in the AAC with a record of 13-3. She not just mentioned stats from this previous season, but some standout figures from the senior class leaving South Main. Of note, the players who played at Rice from 2021-2024 helped the volleyball team lead all Rice teams in total wins (84), most conference wins of all Rice teams (50), and highest overall winning percentage of all Rice teams (.737). Volpe also highlighted the volleyball team held the highest-average RPI of all Rice teams in that four-year stretch with an average RPI of 35. The all-conference players of Samarah Hill, Lademi Ogunlana, and Savannah Skopal were also honored.
Next, Volpe, along with coaches Trey Cruz and Jon Wong, presented the team with awards for the season. Awards presented included the team MVP award, which was presented to Hill for her immediate impact with the team. Campbell Love earned the Most Improved award by growing tremendously in her pass game. Lola Foord was named the recipient of the Hard Hat award, and Darby Harris earned the WE/ME Award. Skopal was named the Newcomer of the Year while Cindy Tchouangwa earned the Sammy Spirit Award. Finally, the Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards went to Ogunlana and Nia McCardell, respectively.
The seniors of Foord, Katrina Jensen, Kaitlyn Knobbe, and McCardell then presented awards of their own to their teammates, coaches, and support staff, thanking those who helped them throughout their times at Rice.
The banquet concluded with a video highlighting the top moments from the season, including big wins, sideline celebrations, and big points throughout the year. After the video and a few team photos, the book was officially closed on the 2024 edition of Rice volleyball.
Volpe announced that a spring schedule was nearly finished and would be announced soon. Stay tuned to RiceOwls.com to learn when that schedule releases.
AWARDS
MVP - Samarah Hill
Most Improved - Campbell Love
Hard Hat - Lola Foord
Offensive Player of the Year - Lademi Ogunlana
Defensive Player of the Year - Nia McCardell
WE/ME - Darby Harris
Sammy Spirit Award - Cindy Tchouangwa
Newcomer of the Year - Savannah Skopal
4.0 GPA Awards - Foord, Harris, Ogunlana
CONFERENCE AWARD WINNERS
First Team All-Conference - Samarah Hill, Lademi Ogunlana
Second Team All-Conference - Savannah Skopal
All-Freshman Team - Savannah Skopal *
*unanimous pick
2024 TEAM HIGHLIGHTS
- Rice finished the season with a RPI of 39 nationally, the highest in the American Athletic Conference.
- The next highest was South Florida at 63.
- Rice finished in the top 50 in several statistical categories nationally, including Assists Per Set (12.99, 20 nat'l, 2 AAC), Digs Per Set (16.86, 26 nat'l, 2 AAC), Kills Per Set (14.02, 15 nat'l, 1 AAC), and Team Attacks Per Set (37.08, 41 nat'l, 2 AAC).
- Rice finished the season with a 12-1 home record and undefeated in home conference play for the fourth time in the previous five seasons.
- Rice defeated three conference tournament champions during the regular season.
- Texas State - Sun Belt
- UT Arlington - WAC
- Wichita State (x2) - American
- Through the regular season, Rice earned 18 weekly AAC honors, averaging 1.5 per week.
- Rice went 8-5 against Top-120 RPI teams this season.
2024 INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS
- Junior middle blocker Lademi Ogunlana ranked 24th nationally and first in the AAC in hitting percentage at .395.
- Freshman setter Savannah Skopal ranked in the top-75 in the nation in assists per set at 9.65, as well as top-110 in the nation in total assists at 955. Both figures are top-five in the American.
- Other Owls that have posted top-10 in conference marks are Nia McCardell (Digs per set, 3rd, 4.03) and Samarah Hill (kills per set, 8th, 3.17).
- Nia McCardell finished her Rice career as the third player ever to tally over 2,000 digs.
- Junior middle blocker Lademi Ogunlana was named to Michelle Chester's Rotation of the Week on 10/15, one of two players in the American to earn the distinction all season.
Players Mentioned
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