BROOKLYN, N.Y. — The St. Joseph's University, N.Y. – Brooklyn women's volleyball team finished the 2024 season as NCAA Statistical Champions in service aces per set.
The team recorded 3.66 aces per set, leading Division III and surpassing Gallaudet University (3.48) and Skyline Conference rival Sarah Lawrence College (3.48). Powered by a program-record 35 aces against York College in mid-October and 31 aces in their first matchup with the Cardinals in September, the Bears accumulated 304 aces for the season, ranking third in the conference and 17th nationally.
Individually, senior Martina Urgo (Astoria, N.Y./St. John's Prep) led the Bears with 0.85 aces per set and 70 total aces, topping the Skyline and placing third and 17th in Division III, respectively. The outside hitter served 12 aces in the Bears' record-setting performance against the Cardinals. Jenna Diaz's (Middle Village, N.Y./Townsend Harris) 0.67 aces per set, and Taylor Knight's (San Ramon, Calif./Dougherty Valley) 0.66 both ranked inside the top 50 in the country.
The Statistical Championship is the first in the history of the women's volleyball program. In total, St. Joseph's has produced 12 individual and team statistical championships:
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2012 Men's Volleyball (Muhammad Ali Bhatti; 0.71 aces per set)
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2014 Women's Soccer (Team; 5.94 goals per game)
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2014 Women's Soccer (Cansu Usta; 36 goals)
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2014 Women's Soccer (Cansu Usta; 2.25 goals per game)
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2022 Softball (Team; .393 batting average)
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2022 Softball (Team; 9.08 runs per game)
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2022 Softball (Team; 2.76 doubles per game)
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2022 Softball (Ashleigh Hartwig; .619 on-base percentage)
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2022 Men's Soccer (Victor Naci; 1.44 goals per game)
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2022 Men's Soccer (Victor Naci; 3.06 points per game)
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2023 Men's Volleyball (Team; 13.19 digs per set)
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2024 Women's Volleyball (Team; 3.66 aces per set)
A commemorative plaque celebrating the achievement will soon be showcased in the trophy case in The Hill Center lobby.
