NORTHEAST-10 RELEASE

MANSFIELD, Mass. – Senior women's volleyball outside hitter Jessica Akiona (Kapolei, Hawaii/La Pietra- Hawaii School for Girls) continues to impress, this time across the Northeast-10 Conference as she was selected as one of three finalists for the league's Woman of the Year accolade.

Akiona is the first Charger to be a finalist since 2014-15 when Ivy Watts was chosen as one of two Woman of the Year recipients that season. Watts was the second Charger to earn the distinction, following former women's track and field standout Shannon Gagne who earned the accolade in 2010-11.

The recipient of the department's new Gold Standard Award, Akiona helped lead the Chargers to an appearance in the NE10 Championship game as well as the NCAA Division II East Regionals. She led the Chargers offensively and was also an anchor on defense and was named to the NE10 All-Conference First Team, All-Region and was an AVCA All-America Honorable Mention. Off the court, she has an impressive 3.98 cumulative grade point average and was named the NE10's Sports Excellence honoree for women's volleyball.

The 2021-22 NE10 Man & Woman of the Year recipients will be announced during a live awards broadcast on NE10 NOW on Thursday, June 9, 2022.