Pitt volleyball redshirt senior outside hitter Valeria Vazquez Gomez will return for her sixth year of collegiate eligibility, the program announced on Wednesday.
Vazquez Gomez is able to return to Pitt as she has an extra season of eligibility, as the NCAA allowed players in the 2020-21 academic calendar year to have one more year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
One of the most versatile players on Pitt volleyball, Vazquez Gomez can play anywhere on the court at a high level. She is second this season in digs with 116, 1.84 per set, in service aces with 20, 0.32 per set, third in kills with 127 and tied for sixth with 27 total blocks.
She had a great 2022, finishing second on the team with 359 kills, 2.85 kills per set, and with 291 digs, 2.31 per set. She received AVCA All-American Second Team, AVCA East Coast Region 2022 Team, and All-ACC First Team honors for her play last season, which helped Pitt make their second consecutive Final Four.
Pitt volleyball has, at least, four players on the team that are graduate students and 2023 will feature as their final season playing for the program. This includes long-time players in middle blocker Chiamaka Nwokolo and setter Lexis Akeo, along with graduate transfers in middle blocker Emma Monks (Michigan State) and libero/defensive specialist Logan Mosley (Virginia Tech).
Senior outside hitter Cat Flood, who features as the serve specialist for the Panthers, also has a COVID-19 year of eligibility left that she can use to play next season.
With Vazquez Gomez returning next season, and potentially Flood, Pitt should return all of their outside hitters, including junior Julianna Dalton and first-years Blaire Bayless and Torrey Stafford.
Pitt volleyball will host their Senior Day on next Sunday, Oct. 29, when they face Wake Forest at Fitzgerald Field House at 1:00 p.m.
