Chicago State’s Skyscrapers: Lagida, Calderon, and Sandez

Chicago State enters the 2024 NEC Women’s Volleyball Championship as the top seed and regular-season champions. Their dominance this season has been powered by three standout players: outside hitter Patrycja Lagida, libero Andrea Calderon, and opposite hitter/middle blocker Julieta Sandez. Here’s a closer look at what each brings to the table:

Patrycja Lagida: Leading the Attack

Sophomore outside hitter Patrycja Lagida has been a cornerstone of Chicago State’s offense. With a team-high 282 kills this season, Lagida averages 3.22 kills per set across 54 sets played. She has also contributed 197 digs (2.43 digs per set) and 25 total blocks, demonstrating her value on both sides of the ball.

Lagida has proven to be a reliable scorer throughout the season, tallying 206.5 points and averaging 3.82 points per set. Additionally, she has been a factor at the service line, recording 34 aces, the second-most on the team. Her ability to impact the game in multiple ways makes her an indispensable part of the Cougars’ success.

Lagida is a common sight as one of the NEC players of the week. It’s no surprise- the outside hitter from Poland can do everything, and seems to in most matches. When you’re watching Chicago State, you won’t be able to miss her.

Andrea Calderon: Defensive Anchor

Graduate student Andrea Calderon serves as the Cougars’ sole libero, providing stability and leadership to the back row. This season, Calderon has led the team with 381 digs, averaging 4.28 digs per set over 89 sets. Her performance has been critical in keeping Chicago State’s defense organized and effective.

Chicago State has a smaller squad than most teams, and that may be part of why their players seem to excel at so many things. Calderon is no slouch offensively either on the court or at the service line. She’s recorded 23 service aces, ranking fourth on the team. Her 1,619 career digs and 417 career assists underscore her importance as a defensive specialist for Chicago State. If the Cougars are going to advance from the NEC Tournament into the Big Dance, they’ll need to defeat one of the high octane offensive opponents at the #2 or #3 seed in FDU or Saint Francis. Calderon figures to have a big say in that.

Liberos are always easy to spot, of course- they’re wearing the different colored jersey. But with Chicago State, you can’t help but notice that only one player wears that green uniform. For the Cougars, it’s Calderon.

Julieta Sandez: Dominant at the Net

Junior opposite hitter/middle blocker Julieta Sandez is another player on the Cougars who can fill multiple roles. No matter what position she’s playing, she has been the key defensive presence at the net for Chicago State. Leading the team with 85 total blocks this season (0.89 blocks per set), Sandez has been instrumental in disrupting opponents’ attacks. Offensively, she has tallied 150 kills with a .425 hitting percentage, the highest rate on the team. At 6’4”, Sandez has uncommon size that has seemed to be a mismatch at times. Come to think of it, the Cougars have often seemed like a mismatch for their opponents all season long.

Her ability to contribute both offensively and defensively has been a major factor in Chicago State’s dominance during NEC play. Sandez has also accumulated 112.5 points this season, adding further value to her well-rounded game.

Ready for the NEC Tournament

With Lagida’s scoring prowess, Calderon’s defensive reliability, and Sandez’s dominance at the net, Chicago State has all the tools needed to make a deep run in the NEC Tournament. The matchup against LIU will be an intriguing one, but these Cougars have won at home all season. There’s no need to make a change now.