RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros head volleyball coach Todd Lowery announced on Thursday the addition of nine student-athletes for the 2025 season, including Martina Franco, Sujeili Mermella, Dimitra Nanou, Ana Julia Peixoto, Valentina Sarti Cipriani, Aaliyah Snead, Carmina Tijerina, Shylah Totten and Maria Angeliki Tsagkopoulou. 
 
"We are incredibly excited about this incoming class. Each student-athlete brings a unique combination of talent, character and drive that aligns perfectly with our program's values. They're not just great players, they're the kind of teammates and leaders who will help us continue building something special," Lowery said. 
 
Martina Franco | Sophomore | Outside Hitter | 5-11 | San Lorenzo, Santa Fe, Argentina | UTSA
Franco spent the 2024 season at UTSA and played in 24 matches making 14 starts. She contributed 2.27 points per set while averaging 1.82 kills per set and 1.86 digs per set for the Roadrunners. Franco totaled 22 aces and 15 blocks in her rookie campaign. 
 
Prior to UTSA, Franco competed at Red Star de San Lorenzo Tennis Club and helped the squad achieve promotion to the A1 division of the Rosarina Association. She competed for Argentina in national events, including helping her country win the 2022 U19 South American Championship. She was a National Champion Santa Fe Region All-State Team honoree in 2022 and participated in the Villa Dora Senior Team National League after being called up to Argentina's senior squad in 2023.
 
Sujeili Mermella | Junior | Setter/Defensive Specialist | 5-6 | San Antonio, Texas | St. John's 
Mermella brings two years of Div. I experience to the Vaqueros after beginning her career competing in the Big East as a member of the St. John's volleyball team. She played in 54 matches at St. John's and made two starts at libero. She averaged 0.95 digs per set and totaled 15 assists and seven aces while boasting a .936 reception percentage in 2024. Mermella helped the Johnnies reach the NIVC Fab Four in 2024 and earn back-to-back postseason appearances. St. John's played for the Big East tournament championship in 2023. 
 
Prior to her collegiate career, Mermella was a three-sport standout at Antonian College Preparatory High School in San Antonio, competing in volleyball, basketball and track & field. She was a two-time all-state and all-district first team honoree and earned Academic All-State nods in 2021 and 2022. Mermella was the team MVP and a finalist for Vype Private School Athlete of the Year in 2022 and also made the Express News All-Area Team and Super Team and the Under Armor All-American Watchlist. She played for the San Antonio Lady Stangs Volleyball Club. 
 
Dimitra Nanou | Freshman | Outside Hitter | 6-0 | Kozani, Greece | Panthires Kozanis
Nanou brings international experience to UTRGV after playing at a high level in Greece. She was a starter for the U17 and U18 Greek national teams. In 2023, Nanou was the MVP of the U17 Balkan Championship and was named the best receiver at the European Championship Qualification. 
 
Ana Julia Peixoto | Freshman | Outside/Right Side | 6-1 | Belo Horizonte, Brazil | Montverde Academy 
Peixoto is a decorated indoor and beach volleyball player hailing from Brazil. As a high school junior in 2024, she led Montverde Academy with a 16-2 beach record, playing all but one match in the No. 1 spot, to help the team earn the Citrus League and Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 1A District 10 championships. She was named the team MVP and to the Orlando Sentinel All-Area Team. In Brazil, Peixoto captured second and third-place finishes in national championship beach tournaments. 
 
Indoors, Peixoto totaled 266 kills (2.82 kills per set) and 180 aces (1.91 aces/set) across two seasons at Montverde. She was named to the Florida Gem High School Classic All-Tournament Team in 2022. 
 
Valentina Sarti Cipriani | Senior | Right Side | 6-1 | Milan, Italy | CSU Bakersfield 
Sarti Cipriani played the 2024 season at CSU Bakersfield after a strong junior college career at the College of Southern Idaho. 
 
Last season, she made 15 starts and played in 28 matches at CSUB and averaged 1.57 kills, 0.54 blocks and 0.41 digs per set while competing in the Big West. Sarti Cipriani was a two-time NJCAA All-Region 18 honoree while playing for CSI and a 2023 NJCAA All-Tournament Team selection. She played in 58 matches, making 50 starts, and accumulated 485 kills, 36 aces, 208 digs and 120 blocks. As a sophomore in 2023, she contributed 2.77 kills/set, 1.00 digs/set and 0.86 digs/set. 
 
Aaliyah Snead | Junior | Middle Blocker | 6-2 | Atlanta, GA | Tyler Junior College
Snead played two years at Tyler Junior College, including one with UTRGV setter Isabella Costantini. She appeared in 47 matches and averaged 1.14 kills per set in her JUCO career with a .348 hitting percentage. As a sophomore in 2024, Snead totaled 119 kills, 94 blocks and 32 aces to contribute 2.1 points per set as Tyler went 11-21. 
 
Snead led the team in blocks in 2024 and was third in kills and points per set. She tallied a single-match high 14 kills on .521 hitting with seven blocks in a match against Blinn College. 
 
Prior to TJC, Snead was a standout at Dutchtown High School and with her club team, Atlanta Performance. 
 
Carmina Tijerina | Freshman | Defensive Specialist | 5-2 | Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico | Brownsville St. Joseph 
Tijerina had a strong high school career playing for St. Joseph Academy in Brownsville and for Venom volleyball club. As a senior in 2025, she earned TAPPS All-State honorable mention and TAPPS District 4-5A Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors. She helped the Lady Bloodhounds win the first bi-district title in program history with her dynamic defense. 
 
Tijerina surpassed 1,000 career digs and had over 700 digs in the 2025 season. She tallied 44 digs and a whopping 10 aces in a tournament match early in her senior season. She is the younger sister of former UTRGV libero/defensive specialist, Regina Tijerina (2021-22). 
 
Shylah Totten | Freshman | Middle Blocker | 5-11 | Chesapeake, VA | Oscar Smith High School 
Totten will add needed depth to the middle position for UTRGV. She had a solid career at Oscar Smith High School and playing with the East Coast Volleyball Club. Totten has good length and a heavy swing in the middle. She is athletic and expected to develop well with the Vaqueros. 
 
Maria Angeliki Tsagkopoulou | Freshman | Outside/Right Side| 6-0 | Athens, Greece | Porfyras Piraeus
Tsagkopoulou is an athletic and versatile addition with experience playing at a high level internationally, including with the Confédération Européenne de Volleyball (CEV). She was a standout at the European Volleyball Exposure showcase. She can line up and contribute at both pins and is "extremely light off the floor," said Lowery. Tsagkopoulou will add length to the block and is expected to make an impact right away. 

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