MARLBOROUGH, Mass. — Wheaton College (Mass.) women's volleyball players Katie de la Pena (Castle Rock, Colo.), Abbie Dixon (Manassas, Va.), Hollis Hanson (Parker, Colo.), Sydney Lyon (Weston, Conn.), Ajsa Orbán (Budapest, Hungary) and Arianna Tanksley (Chesapeake, Va.) were named to the New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference Academic All-Conference squad, it was announced by the league.
Honorees must have met the following criteria: earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5/4.0 scale or 4.35/5.0 scale after the 2025 spring semester, achieved second year academic status at their institution, and been a member of the varsity team for the entire season.
The Lyons have had five or more student-athletes honored on the Academic All-Conference team in each of the last five years.
Hanson and Lyon have been tabbed for the squad for three straight years, while Dixon, Orbán and Tanksley have been selected in back-to-back seasons. de la Pena earns the distinction in her first year of eligibility for the team.
Hanson is a senior Physics major. The middle hitter saw time in 28 of 29 matches over 90 sets and averaged 1.08 points per set on 0.79 kills and 0.43 blocks per frame. Hanson was second on the team with 0.48 blocks per set. Lyon was one of two Wheaton players to see action in all 108 sets and was second on the team with 2.94 kills and 3.41 points per frame, while ranking third with 1.88 digs per set. Lyon ranked seventh in the NEWMAC in kills per set and became just the seventh player in school history to amass 1000 or more career kills.
Dixon is a junior Physics and Visual Art major. The right side hitter appeared in 19 matches and played in 29 sets, while putting down eight kills and firing five aces. Orbán is a junior International Relations and History major. The setter placed eighth in the conference with 5.46 assists per set and served for 0.39 aces per frame to go with 1.41 digs and a total of 23 blocks. Tanksley is a junior Nursing major. The defensive specialist appeared in all but one match and played in 88 sets, while serving up 25 aces and getting down for 1.33 digs per set. de la Pena is a sophomore Computer Science major. The outside hitter was hampered by injury, but still managed to receive time in 19 matches and 44 sets, while spiking for 26 kills and averaging 0.43 blocks per frame.
The Lyons finished the season with a 12-17 record, including 3-8 in league play.
