Volleyball Adds Celianiz Cabranes for 2024 Season

RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros head volleyball coach Todd Lowery announced on Tuesday the addition of 5-2 libero Celianiz Cabranes to the 2024 roster.

Cabranes comes to UTRGV after spending one season at Tennessee State where she competed in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) at the NCAA Div. I level. She played in all of the teams’ 28 matches in 2023, accumulating 529 digs while averaging 4.90 digs per set and notching a .928 receiving percentage. She dished out 67 assists, tallied 19 aces and tabbed two kills.

Cabranes recorded 20+ digs in 16 matches last season. She had a career-high 28 digs with two aces, two kills and one assist in Tennessee State’s season finale against Morehead State. She recorded double-digit digs in all 28 matches played and served up a career-high five aces in a match against UC San Diego.

The Bayamon, Puerto Rico native was named the OVC Volleyball Freshman of the Week on Oct. 16. She ranked fourth in the OVC and 28th in the nation in digs per set and was fifth in the conference and 39th in the nation in overall digs in 2023.

“Celianiz is an elite defender. Her quickness allows her to read and close to a lot of balls. She carried a huge passing responsibility for TSU last year as a freshman, which is no easy task. We are looking forward to adding her energy and work ethic to our gym,” Lowery said.