Jonas Holt
Sports Editor
The incredible Leopards’ volleyball season ended Wednesday night in the NCAA Division III Volleyball Championship Quarterfinals, where the Leopards fell in four sets to No. 1 seed and two-time defending national champions Juniata.
The Leopards battled valiantly to the last point.
Trailing 24-19 in the decisive fourth set, La Verne rallied off five straight points to tie the game before the Eagles ultimately sealed the victory.
Despite the loss, the Leopards had a historic season, advancing a round further than last year and finishing with their best campaign since 2009, when they ended as national runners-up. La Verne completed the season 26-6, claiming an NCAA Regional Championship, their first in 16 years, and their first Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament Championship.
Individual accolades poured in for the Leopards this season, with junior outside hitter Mya Ray earning her second career First Team All-American honor from the AVCA. Fellow senior outside hitter Allison Whiteman, was named an Honorable Mention All-American.
Additionally, the Leopards celebrated three All-Region selections and four All-SCIAC awards, further cementing their dominance on the court.
The Leopards’ season featured standout performances, including Ray’s dominance at the Massachusetts Regional, where she delivered 19 kills at a .457 clip and was named the Regional Most Outstanding Player. Sophomore outside hitter Lauren Gott, sophomore setter Malia Capistrano and junior setter Vanessa Marquez also shone throughout the postseason. Senior libero Madison Smith anchored the back row with consistent defensive efforts, including a 20-dig performance against MIT.
This season marked La Verne’s 10th in program history with 25 or more wins, highlighting their consistency as a national powerhouse. With the foundation laid this year, the Leopards will aim to build on their success once again as they look ahead to 2025.
—Jonas Holt
Jonas Holt is a senior journalism major with a concentration in print and online journalism. He is sports editor of the Campus Times, a staff writer for La Verne Magazine and staff photographer for both publications. He has previously been a staff writer for the Campus Times.
