ITHACA, N.Y. — Cornell women's volleyball freshman outside hitter and defensive specialist, Kiran Rio, was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Week, the league announced Monday.

Rio earned the honor following a strong performance in Cornell's three-set sweep of Columbia on Saturday. The Houston, Texas, native recorded eight kills on 17 swings for a .412 hitting percentage while adding three block assists to help the Big Red secure the straight-set victory.

"We are so excited that Kiran got the recognition she deserves for her performance against Columbia," said Trudy Vande Berg, The Wendy Schaenen '79 Head Coach of Cornell Volleyball. "Kiran has been such a steady player for us and most of the time her impact goes under the radar. It's great to see her put up great numbers for us this past weekend."

Rio has made an immediate impact during her freshman season, providing Cornell with versatility on both the offensive and defensive sides of the net.

A four-year letter winner and two-year team captain at St. John's School in Houston, Rio helped lead the Mavericks to the 2025 SPC 4A State Championship. She earned All-SPC and Greater Houston Volleyball Coaches Association (GHVCA) honors in both 2024 and 2025 and was named the GHVCA Private School Player of the Year as a senior.

Rio also earned Houston Chronicle Private School Player of the Year honors, a spot on the Houston Chronicle All-Private School Team and GHVCA All-Academic Team recognition following her senior season. She was a three-time AVCA Phenom honoree from 2022-24, an AVCA All-American nominee in 2025 and an AVCA Best & Brightest First Team selection. She capped her high school career by receiving St. John's prestigious Maverick Award.

Rio is the daughter of Mona and Gabriel Rio and has one older sister, Sonia. She is enrolled in Cornell's College of Engineering and plans to study information science, systems and technology.