Inside The Panthers

Omaha Supernovas Draft Pitt Volleyball OH

The Omaha Supernoves drafted a Pitt Panthers volleyball outside hitter.

Dominic Campbell

Pitt Volleyball Outside Hitter Valeria Vazquez Gomez
Pitt Volleyball Outside Hitter Valeria Vazquez Gomez / Courtesy of Pitt Athletic

PITTSBURGH -- Pitt Panthers sixth year outside hitter Valeria Vazquez Gomez will have a chance to play professionally following her collegiate career.

The Omaha Supernovas, who play in the Pro Volleyball Federation, selected Vazquez Gomez with the 30th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2024 PVF Draft.

Vazquez Gomez hails from Manati, Puerto Rico and redshirted in her first season in 2019.

She got her chance in the COVID-19 impacted 2020 season and took it, helping the Panthers make their first ever Elite Eight. She started 21 of the 24 matches the Panthers played, finishing second on the team with 0.21 service aces per set and third with both 1.98 kills and 2.41 digs per set.

Vazquez Gomez had a reduced role in 2021, playing in 28 matches and starting eight of them, as Pitt made their first ever Final Four. She averaged 1.08 kills, 1.22 digs and 0.16 service aces per set that season.

She got back into the starting lineup in 2022, starting all 35 contests and playing all 126 sets. She averaged career-highs of 2.85 kills and 3.22 points per set and 291 digs, earning All-ACC First Team, AVCA All-East Coast Region Team and AVCA Second Team All-American honors, guiding the Panthers back to their second straight Final Four.

Vazquez Gomez teamed up with true freshman outside hitter Torrey Stafford and made sure Pitt made their third consecutive Final Four in 2023. She finished second on the team with 34 aces and 212 digs and third with 245 kills, earning All-ACC Second Team and AVCA East Coast Region Team honors.

She is having another great season in her final year of collegiate eligibility as Pitt heads into the final week of the season No. 1 in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll, 27-1 overall and 17-1 in ACC play.

Vazquez Gomez ranks third on the Panthers with 232.0 points, 2.73 points per set, 183 kills, 2.15 kills per set, 168 digs, 1.98 digs per set and with a .257 hitting percenage (amongst pin-hitters).

She also ranks No. 7 in the ACC with 0.40 service aces per set, as she's played an important role in Pitt leading the ACC and ranked tied for sixth in the nation with 2.07 aces per set as a team.

Vazquez Gomez had a double-double, 10 kills and 11 digs in the win over then ranked No. 4 Louisville at the Petersen Events Center on Oct. 25. She also had nine kills and hit a season-high .538 in the sweep of Syracuse on the road on Oct. 6.

Pitt has a few players in the Pro Volleyball Federation for next season, with both outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh (2021) and middle blocker Chiamaka Nwokolo (2019-23) on the Indy Ignite, outside hitter Kayla Lund (2017-21) on the San Diego Mojo, right side hitter Courtney Buzzerio (2022) on the Atlanta Vibe and middle blocker Layne Van Buskirk (2016-19) on the Vegas Thrill.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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