Trio to Captain Volleyball in 2024

BOSTON – Suffolk volleyball will continue the tradition of being led by tri-captains as the upperclassmen triad of Grace Cervenka, Jasmine James and McKenna Keowen will share the leadership role for the 2024 campaign, head coach Scott Blanchard announced.  

It is the third consecutive campaign that the Rams will have three captains. 

James and Keowen begin their second term in the role after earning the title a year ago, while Cervenka enters her first year with the title. 

"I'm very confident that this group of captains will be able to lead this very experienced team throughout the season," Blanchard said. "Leadership will be key to the success of our team this year."  

The trio was instrumental to Suffolk's success in 2023 that saw the Rams reach the conference's semifinals for the second time in as many years. 

Cervenka, a middle blocker that calls Sugar Land, Texas home, was a force at the next last season en route to her first all-league recognition in her collegiate career. In 30 matches she assembled 74 total blocks, good for 0.74 blocks per set, to go along with 169 kills.  

James, a graduate student from Norwood, Massachusetts, capitalized on her fifth-year of eligibility after producing 152 kills and 35 blocks in 30 matches a year ago.  

Keowen, the program's all-time kills leader that is on the verge of becoming the first-ever Ram to eclipse 1,000-plus digs and kills as a senior this year, is a three-time all-conference performance. The outside hitter from San Ramon, California, paced the blue-and-gold's attack last season with 2.76 kills per set to go along with 3.19 digs per set and 0.66 aces per set. 

The threesome aims to pace Suffolk to more success in 2024 with the campaign scheduled to get underway August 31 at 12 p.m. versus New England College at the RWU Invitational. The Rams will also face WestConn in Bristol, Rhode Island Saturday.