David Luna, Garrett Akiona and Nicolas Garcia filled major roles on Central Valley’s boys volleyball team this season.

Luna, Akiona and Garcia earned all-Western Athletic Conference honors during the league’s year-end head coaches’ meeting.

“They represented our school and program very well,” Hawks’ leader Julio Madrigal said. “They put in the work. They got rewarded for that. I’m proud of them.”

Luna, a senior libero and co-captain, was selected to the WAC First Team.

“He brought experience to the team from playing all four years,” Madrigal said. “He was respected by his peers and opponents, as well as the officials.”

Luna totaled 76 digs, 14 aces, three blocks and one assist on the season.

He ranked first on the team in digs, second in assists and fourth in aces.

“David led with grace, confidence and wisdom,” Madrigal said. “He was always professional. His main role was to clean up anything around the net.”

Akiona and Garcia were honorable-mention selections.

Akiona, a junior setter and co-captain, had 122 assists, 89 blocks, 46 digs, 34 kills and 22 aces.

He ranked first on the team in assists, second in aces and digs, and third in kills and blocks.

“Garrett lives and breathes volleyball,” Madrigal said. “He’s passionate about the game. He cares. He organized times where he and his teammates would meet at Ochoa Park to practice. He wanted to play as much as possible.”

“It’s not easy setting balls for your outside hitters,” he added. “He (Akiona) did a great job. When he started playing defense first, it allowed us to showcase other talent on the team.”

Garcia, a junior outside hitter, had 69 blocks, 61 kills, 26 aces and 19 digs.

He ranked first on the team in aces, second in kills, fourth in blocks and fifth in digs.

“I knew I could get a lot out of him,” Madrigal said. “He got so much better because he believed in himself. He figured it out. He started finishing his swing. He placed the ball with pace where it’s hard to dig. That’s what you want.”

Newcomers to the WAC, Central Valley compiled a 3-11 record en route to a sixth-place finish.

The Hawks tripled their league win total from the previous season. 

Central Valley took seventh in the 2024 Central California Conference standings with a 1-11 mark.

Luna graduated from Central Valley in June.

Akiona and Garcia will return to the team next spring.

“It’s a big void to fill,” Madrigal said while talking about Luna’s departure.