FOUR BLUE DRAGON VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS SIGN WITH 4-YEAR PROGRAMS

(l to r): Blue Dragon volleyball players Blondie Penaflor, Morgan Harvey, Andrea Serrano and Sophie Connor sign four-year letters of intent to play at four-year programs next season. (Steve Carpenter/Blue Dragon Sports Information)
(l to r): Blue Dragon volleyball players Blondie Penaflor, Morgan Harvey, Andrea Serrano and Sophie Connor sign four-year letters of intent to play at four-year programs next season. (Steve Carpenter/Blue Dragon Sports Information)

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Four members of the 2022 Hutchinson Community College volleyball team have signed letters of intent to move onto four-year programs next season.

Setter Andrea Serrano has signed to play at Coppin State. Libero Morgan Harvey will move on to the University of Charleston. Outside hitter Sophie Connor will play next season at University of Texas-Tyler. Middle blocker Blondie Penaflor has signed with Lander University.

The 2022 Blue Dragons finished 26-12 this past season, placing third in the Jayhawk Conference and made it to the semifinals of the Region VI Tournament.

With the signings of these four sophomores, Blue Dragon head coach Delice Downing has now moved up eight players to four-year programs in her first three seasons at Hutchinson.

ANDREA SERRANO
Serrano is a 5-foot-6 two-year starter from Arecibo Puerto Rico.

She averaged 7.14 assists per set playing over her 66 matches as a Blue Dragon, primarily in a 6-2 offense but was efficient running a 5-1 when asked to.

Serrano was also a top threat from the service line with 68 career aces.

This past season, Serrano averaged 6.99 assists per set with 699 total assists and 40 service aces. Serrano also had 2.07 digs per set. Serrano was named all-KJCCC/all-Region VI in her sophomore season.

MORGAN HARVEY
Harvey, a 5-8 sophomore from Hoyt, Kansas, made a big position change before her second season with the Blue Dragons, moving from right-side hitter to libero/defensive specialist, a move that shored up the Blue Dragon backline depth in 2022.

This past season, Harvey averaged 2.32 digs per set with 17 matches of 10 or more digs and a career-high 24 digs in a five-set victory over Colby.

As a freshman, Harvey hit .151 and averaged 1.54 kills per set. She added 50 total blocks as a right-side hitter. Harvey also had 44 career service aces.

SOPHIE CONNOR
A 5-10 outside hitter from Derby, Kansas, Connor was one of the top offensive threats for the Blue Dragons in both of her seasons at Hutchinson.

Over her two-year career, Connor amassed 354 total kills and average 1.91 kills per set, hitting .164. She had 175 kills and a freshman and 179 kills in her sophomore season.

Connor made a big improvement in her blocking game in Year No. 2. Connor averaged 0.28 blocks per set as a freshman, but upped that average to 0.53 with 58 total blocks in her sophomore year. Connor also had 38 career service aces and 314 career digs.

BLONDIE PENAFLOR
Penaflor is a 6-0 sophomore from Las Vegas. She, too, made a position change from a pin hitter to a middle in 2022.

This past season, the two-time all-KJCCC/all-Region VI performer, averaged 1.38 kills and 1.20 blocks per set. Penaflor was second in the KJCCC in blocks per set during her sophomore year.

Over 72 matches in her Blue Dragon career, Penaflor averaged 1.89 kills on .239 hitting and 0.90 blocks.