MERCED, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's volleyball team had three Bobcats earn AVCA Southwest All-Region honors.
Sera Riley and Alexa Ultreras were named First Team All-Region, while Kyra Miller received All-Region Honorable Mention. All three Bobcats, who all won major California Pacific Conference awards this year, are first-time AVCA All-Region selections.
The trio led UC Merced to its first ever Cal Pac Regular Season Championship and its first Cal Pac Tournament Championship since 2020. The Bobcats were the first Cal Pac Team to sweep the championships since 2019.
Riley, the Cal Pac Player of the Year, finished fifth in the region and 28th in the NAIA with 3.65 kills per set and was one of just three players in the nation with at least 3.6 kills per set, 3.1 digs per set, and a .240 hitting percentage. Riley totaled 19 double figure kill matches and had 12 double-double's, including three in which she recorded 20+ digs. She tallied 332 total kills overall, the fourth most by any Bobcat in a single-season and the most since 2019. Her 3.65 K/S rank second in program history. Riley also added 0.40 service aces per set and 0.21 blocks per set.
Ultreras was the Cal Pac Attacker of the Year and registered 12 double-double's while averaging 2.95 K/S and a team-high 3.26 D/S throughout the year. She turned in a 25-kill match on the road at La Sierra and had 20+ digs on three occasions, including in the Cal Pac Championship win over Simpson. Overall, she totaled 274 kills and 303 digs becoming the first player in program history with 250+ kills and 300+ digs in back-to-back seasons. Ultreras also turned in 0.41 SA/S and 0.25 B/S. She is currently third in program history with 679 career kills, is tied for sixth with 75 career service aces, and is seventh with 757 digs.
Kyra Miller adds All-Region Honorable Mention to her postseason trophy case after being named the Cal Pac Setter of the Year a month ago. She finished third in the region with 7.14 A/S, and was one of just two players in the country with at least 7.14 A/S, 85 kills, and a .318 hitting percentage (Lydia Harper/Aquinas). Miller's 704 total assists are the most by any Bobcat since 2019 and her .318 hitting percentage is the third highest all-time. UC Merced hit .212 as a team with Miller quarterbacking the offense which is the second highest mark in the region. She rounded out her year with 1.5 D/S, 0.46 B/S, and 0.36 SA/S. She led all Cal Pac Setters in blocks and kills per set (0.88).
The Cal Pac Champions finished the season 20-8 overall and 14-1 in conference play.
