June 7, 2010
Bronx, N.Y. -
Fordham volleyball head coach Peter Volkert announced the newest additions to the 2010 squad today, as seven players will join the Rams. The list includes libero Emily Atwood (Whittier, Calif./Whittier Christian), middle blocker Krissy Buongiorno (Ladera Ranch, Calif./Tesoro), setter/right side hitter Mary Diamantidis (Moraga, Calif./Miramonte), outside hitter Lisa Hipp (San Francisco, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral), setter Sara Konkel (Elk Grove, Calif./Pleasant Grove), setter/libero Maria Rodenberg (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Ursula Academy), and middle blocker Carina Thompson (Kailua, Hawaii/Punahou School).
Atwood, a 5-1 libero, was a three-year varsity volleyball player at Whittier Christian High School in La Habra, California. She was a two-time First Team All-Area selection by the Whittier Daily News, while earning First Team All-Alpha League and Second Team All-CIF twice each. Named the team's best defensive player three times, Atwood was a team co-captain at Whittier Christian, and received the Army Reserve Athlete-Scholar award. She has also played volleyball for Protégé Volleyball Club for six years at libero.
Away from the court, Atwood is a four-year member of the Principal's List and a California Scholarship Federation Life member. She received the Bank of America Art Award and was named the school's most outstanding artist.
Buongiorno, a 6-1 middle blocker, was a two-year varsity volleyball player at Tesoro High School in Las Flores, California, while also competing for Saddleback Valley Volleyball club. She served as team captain of both squads during her tenure, earning All-League honors and the team leadership award as a junior. She also competed for the track & field team at Tesoro, breaking the school record for the freshman/sophomore high jump.
Playing for Coach Ki Yi at Saddleback Valley Volleyball club, Buongiorno competed for the 18U Division at the Volleyball Festival, earning first place distinction. Away from the court, she is still in the running for Valedictorian at Tesoro High School.
Diamantidis, a 5-9 setter/right side hitter, was a four-year varsity volleyball player at Miramonte High School in Orinda, California. A 2009 team captain, she received All-League honors three times, capped by First Team honors as a senior. She was also a 2008 All-East Bay First Team pick and recipient of the East Bay Hammer Award in 2009.
In addition to playing volleyball for Miramonte, Diamantidis also competed for the varsity track & field team for three seasons, while playing club volleyball for Xceleration 18 Blue.
Hipp, a 5-10 outside hitter, was a four-year varsity volleyball player at Sacred Heart Cathedral Prepatory in San Francisco, California. A two-year captain, she was a WCAL Second Team All-League selection in 2009, helping Sacred Cathedral Prepatory to a 33rd national ranking and a number 10 ranking in California, according to
Prepvolleyball.com. She was a part of three Division III Central Coast Section Championships, three NorCal Championships, and three runner-up finishes in the State Championships (2007-09). In addition to those team accolades, Hipp's team also took fifth at the 2009 National Nike Tournament of Champions and was a three-time AVCA Academic Achievement Team Award recipient.
Individually, Hipp received the Kelly Gallagher Spirit Award in 2009, while earning the CIF Sportsmanship award in 2007. She also plays club volleyball for Slainte 16 Black, which finished third overall in the northern California region, second in the Junior Olympic National Silver Division in 2008, and fifth in the Silver Division in 2007.
An AP scholar academically, Hipp is in Sacred Heart Cathedral Prepatory's DePaul Scholar Program and serves at Block Club president.
A 5-11 setter, Konkel was a varsity athlete for Pleasant Grove High School in Elk Grove, California, competing in volleyball, soccer, and track & field. A three-year captain and team MVP, she was a 2010 North Optimist All-State selection, a 2009 All-City Team pick, and a two-time All-Metro selection (2008-09).
In addition to her play at Pleasant Grove, Konkel has played club volleyball for Force U16, which won the National Junior Olympics Championship, and NCVC U18, which received a Junior Olympics American bid. Academically, she received academic accolades of 3.67 and above all four years of high school.
Rodenberg, a 5-7 setter/libero, was a three-year varsity volleyball player at Saint Ursula Academy in Cincinnati, Ohio. She earned 2009 GGCL Honorable Mention accolades as a senior, and played club volleyball for McGee's Volleyball Academy.
Away from the court, Rodenberg is a member of the National Honor Society and the honor roll at Saint Ursula. She is also a National Merit Commended Scholar and a Furman Scholars Award recipient.
Thompson, a 6-2 middle blocker, was a varsity volleyball player at Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii. She helped Punahou finish second in the state of Hawaii in both 2008 and 2009. Punahou also won the Interscholastic League of Honolulu in 2009, while taking second place in 2008.
A club volleyball member of Asics Rainbows Hawaii, Thompson is a four-year member of the honor roll and two-year member of the National Honor Society. She also received Recognition Awards in both AP Environmental Studies and Social Studies.
The Fordham volleyball team will open their 2010 campaign on August 27th against Northeastern University, as a part of the Boston College/Holy Cross Tournament in Worcester, Massachusetts.
