CHARLESTON, Ill. – The Ohio Valley Conference held its annual volleyball banquet in Charleston on Sunday evening, where multiple Panthers received awards and recognition for their outstanding performances this season. Giovana Larregui López,
Catalina Rochaix,
Natalie Mitchem, and
Christina Martinez Mundo were all named to the All-OVC First Team, while
Sara Thomas was awarded the OVC Coach of the Year Award.
In addition to her All-OVC First Team selection, Giovana Larregui López was also named the conference's Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.
The senior outside hitter finished the regular season as the OVC leader in in points per set (4.79), kills per set (4.00), service aces (62), and aces per set (0.59).
On the year, Larregui López has totaled 420 kills (4.0 KPS) on a .315 attack percentage, with at least 25 kills in three matches. She has also racked up 277 digs (2.64 DPS), which have helped her record 12 double-doubles on the season.
Larregui López has set five career match highs this season, including in kills (26), attacks (63), hitting percentage (.600), service aces (7) and blocks (5). Her seven aces against IUPUI were the most nationally in a four set match this season.
She was was a four time OVC Offensive Player of the Week during the regular season.
Catalina Rochaix was voted the OVC Setter of the Year. Rochaix leads the conference in assists (1,136) and assists per set (10.92), both of which are good enough for top ten nationally. Her excellent setting has helped the Panthers to an OVC best .277 team hitting percentage.
Rochaix has handed out at least 40 assists in 14 matches this season and set a new career high of 64 against SIUE on November 11th.
She also has 193 digs, including a career high 14 against SEMO on October 27th, and secured eight double-doubles during the regular season.
Rochaix was named OVC setter of the week three times.
Natalie Mitchem and
Christina Martinez Mundo were also named to the All-OVC First Team.
Mitchem, a graduate transfer from Ball State, has made an immediate impact in her lone season as a Panther. During the regular season she tallied 372 kills for an average of 3.54 kills per set. Her .356 hitting percentage is the best in the OVC, and she has recorded a percentage north of .400 in 12 different matches this season.
Her 25 kills against Valpo on the opening weekend of the season were a career high.
Mitchem also has 71 blocks on the season, which is second most on the team, and recorded a career best three solo blocks against Morehead State on October 5th.
She also earned an OVC Offensive Player of the Week award after collecting 51 kills (4.25 KPS) on a .457 attack percentage, along with 11 blocks, in the EIU Panther Classic
Christina Martinez Mundo finished regular season play with 588 digs for an average of 5.44 digs per set, both of which are second best in the OVC. Those numbers also place in the top ten nationally.
She has had at least 20 digs in 16 matches this season, and currently sits with a reception percentage of .933. Her single match high for digs this season is 34 against UT Martin on September 23rd.
Martinez Mundo has also proved to be a threat at the service line, recording a total of 38 service aces on the season, including a career high four against Southern Indiana on September 18th.
She was voted the OVC Defensive Player of the Week after tallying 70 digs (5.84 DPS) in the EIU Panther Classic.
Coach
Sara Thomas was named the OVC Coach of the Year after leading the Panthers to a 25-4 record (15-3 OVC) and the OVC regular season title, the first for EIU since 2004. She is the first Eastern coach to receive the honor since Betty Ralston in 1998.
When she took over the program in 2020, Eastern was coming off 3-26 season, but after just four years under Thomas' leadership, EIU volleyball has completely flipped the script.
Their 25 wins are the most by a Panther volleyball team since 2004, and Thomas has now led EIU to three consecutive OVC Tournament appearances for the first time since 2013-2015.
This season, her players earned a combined nine OVC Player of the Week awards, and the Panthers four first team selections are the most in the conference, as well as the most all-time for EIU in a single season.
The Panthers will now set their sights on the OVC Tournament, as they look to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. EIU will get things started against Little Rock at 1 p.m. on Monday inside Lantz Arena.
