SAINT MARY-OF-THE-WOODS, Ind. — Eight Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College volleyball players earned All-River States Conference honors, including a league-leading four first-team selections, as the conference announced its 2026 postseason teams Wednesday.

Gaby Fernandez, Karla Melendez-Martinez, Masa Pesic and Sofia Soto earned first-team recognition. Ariana Cruz-Gonzalez, Luci Morris and Lily Richards received second-team honors, while Leishmarie Virella was named to the third team. Raimey Owens represented SMWC on the RSC Champions of Character Team, bringing the Pomeroys' total to nine players recognized.

SMWC led the conference with eight all-conference selections, followed by Rio Grande with seven. The Pomeroys' four first-team honorees also topped the league, with IU Kokomo and Rio Grande each placing three players on the first team. Melendez-Martinez, Pesic and Virella are repeat All-RSC selections.

Fernandez, a junior libero and defensive specialist from Arecibo, Puerto Rico, has anchored the Pomeroys' back-row defense with a team-leading 575 digs, averaging 6.39 per set. A five-time RSC Defender of the Week selection, she also earned NAIA National Defender of the Week honors once this season. Fernandez has contributed 103 assists and 34 service aces. She recorded a season-high 40 digs against Kansas Wesleyan on Sept. 19 and collected at least 30 digs in four matches.

Melendez-Martinez, a senior outside hitter from Caguas, Puerto Rico, has led SMWC with 389 kills and 4.27 kills per set while hitting .303. A three-time RSC Attacker of the Week honoree this season, she also has contributed 305 digs and 33 aces while recording 16 double-doubles in kills and digs. Melendez-Martinez twice reached a season-high 28 kills, against Kansas Wesleyan on Sept. 19 and IU Kokomo on Oct. 27. She added a season-high 20 digs in the October matchup with IU Kokomo.

Pesic, a senior right-side hitter from Zajecar, Serbia, has recorded 274 kills, averaging 2.69 per set while hitting .339. She also has contributed 54 blocks and 70 digs. Pesic delivered a season-high 15 kills without an attack error, hitting .484 against IU Kokomo on Oct. 27. She recorded 14 kills against both Madonna and Governors State and matched her season high of five blocks against Kansas Wesleyan and IU Southeast.

Soto, a senior middle hitter from Gurabo, Puerto Rico, has supplied 146 kills and a .373 hitting percentage, along with 76 blocks for an average of 0.89 per set. She posted a season-high 11 kills while hitting .533 against Milligan on Sept. 4, the same day she delivered 10 kills and a .600 hitting percentage against Baptist University of Florida. Soto recorded a season-high seven blocks against Truett McConnell on Sept. 5.

Cruz-Gonzalez, a senior setter from Arecibo, Puerto Rico, has totaled 468 assists, averaging 5.20 per set, along with 189 digs and 32 aces. She recorded a season-high 31 assists against Madonna on Aug. 15 and six aces against Truett McConnell on Sept. 5. Cruz-Gonzalez also registered seven double-doubles in assists and digs, including 19 assists and a season-high 17 digs against IU East on Oct. 10.

Morris, a junior middle hitter from Oakwood, Illinois, has averaged a team-leading 1.24 blocks per set while contributing 126 kills and a .331 hitting percentage. She recorded a season-high 10 blocks against Kansas Wesleyan on Sept. 19 and nine against Goshen on Aug. 21. Morris twice reached a season-high eight kills, hitting .700 against Brenau on Sept. 4 and matching that kill total against Northwestern Ohio on Oct. 31.

Richards, a junior setter from Knoxville, Tennessee, has recorded a team-leading 482 assists, averaging 5.24 per set, along with 207 digs and 30 aces. She registered seven double-doubles in assists and digs, including 27 assists and a season-high 19 digs against Kansas Wesleyan on Sept. 19. Richards recorded a season-high 28 assists against USAO on Aug. 28 and served six aces against Wilberforce on Aug. 14.

Virella, a senior libero and defensive specialist from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, has recorded 294 digs and a team-leading 44 aces. She has averaged 3.06 digs per set and posted a .982 reception percentage, committing just six errors in 330 attempts. Virella collected a season-high 19 digs and four aces against Kentucky Christian on Oct. 16 and served a season-best five aces against IU East on Oct. 10.

Owens earned SMWC's Champions of Character recognition while contributing 120 kills and a .291 hitting percentage across 53 sets. She also has recorded 41 digs.
The conference's individual postseason awards will be determined through a separate round of voting.

SMWC will host the RSC Tournament semifinals and championship match Nov. 13-14 at the Jeanne Knoerle Sports and Recreation Center. IU Kokomo and Rio Grande will meet in Friday's first semifinal at 4 p.m., followed by the Pomeroys against IU Columbus at 7 p.m. Friday's winners will advance to Saturday's championship match at 5 p.m. All times are Eastern.