BC Hosts Postseason Volleyball Opening Rounds

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. --For the second time in three years, the Boston College volleyball team extended its season into the postseason with a berth in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship. The first round begins Saturday at 4 p.m. with BC vs. Delaware State followed by Connecticut vs. North Carolina A&T. The winners meet Sunday at 4 p.m.

About the Eagles...
BC went 16-16 overall in the regular season; staging a comeback win over Virginia last Friday to gain postseason eligibility. The Eagles attack is led by graduate outside hitter Clare Naughton with 3.28 kills per set to go with 2.32 digs per set. Graduate middle blocker Amaka Chukwujekwu is hitting a team-high .328 with 2.01 kills and 0.82 blocks per set. The Eagles play three different setters with sophomore Grace Penn having appeared in 112 sets; averaging 4.93assists and 1.44 digs. Junior middle blocker Gabby McCaa leads the team in blocks at 0.97 per set following a career-high 11 against the Cavaliers last time out.

The 1,000-Kill Club...
With her first kill of the day against Wake Forest (10/3), Clare Naughton became the 10th player in BC history to reach 1,000 career kills. She passed former teammate Cat Balido (982 kills - 2016-19) for 10th all-time in the Eagles' win over Virginia Tech. Naughton became the first player at BC to reach the 1,000-kill mark since Katty Workman (2012-15), the program's all-time leader at 1,689. She is currently sixth with at 1,156.

Maki Blocks...
Amaka Chukwujekwu started the season fourth all-time in total blocks at BC and claimed the top spot in the record book with her 452nd career block at Wake Forest (11/21). She passed Kristen Roberts (1992-95) for the program record. Chukwujekwu entered the season tied for the BC record in block assists at 308 with Krystie Higgins (2009-12) and is now up to 372.

Double-Double Machine...
Clare Naughton recorded four consecutive double-doubles beginning against Northeastern (9/7) and through the Jack Kaiser Classic at St. John's. She has totaled a career-high 11 double-doubles on the season and 19 for her career, which is tied for the seventh most in program history.

Dig & Pass...
Sophomore libero Anna Murphy is seventh in the ACC with 3.87 dig per set. She notched a career-high 27 at Bryant (9/4) and has surpassed 20 digs on seven occasions, including 26 in a five-set win over Virginia Tech. Murphy added 10 assists against the Hokies for her first career double-double.

Inside the Match-Ups...
Boston College is 2-0 all-time against Delaware State, with wins in 1995 and 2007. The Eagles are 7-17 all-time against UConn; most recently claiming a five-set win at Gampe Pavilion in 2019. The all-time series started with a 3-0 Huskies' win in Storrs in 1990. Since leaving the Big East for the ACC ahead of the 2005 season, BC is 3-2 against Connecticut. Boston College and North Carolina A&T have never played.

New England's Best...
Boston College went 8-0 against seven New England opponents this season, while Connecticut went 6-1 with their lone loss coming to Dartmouth. The two teams combined to beat all but four New England squads.

BC-UConn Connection...
Should Boston College and Connecticut advance to the second round, it will mark a reunion for BC assistant coach Marissa Prinzbach with her original collegiate program. Prinzbach played at UConn as the starting setter in her freshman and sophomore seasons from 2012-13 prior to transferring to Buffalo. Current UConn coach Ellen Herman-Kimball was on staff for the Huskies in 2011 prior to Prinzbach's arrival.

BC Hosts Postseason Volleyball Opening Rounds

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Players Mentioned

Amaka Chukwujekwu

Gabby McCaa

Anna Murphy

Clare Naughton

Grace Penn