Maria Bras-Benitez '95 Elected to NE-10 Hall of Fame

February 15, 2007

South Easton, Mass.- Former Bryant volleyball player Maria Bras-Benitez was elected to the Northeast-10's Hall of Fame today. Bras, who played for Bryant from 1991-1995, was among the greatest players in school history.

With the arrival of the freshman from Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico in 1991, the Bulldogs enjoyed an unprecedented level of properity that has lasted to this day.

Maria Bras quickly established herself as one of the top players in the Northeast-10 conference after earning the league's freshman-of-the-year award in 1991. In that rookie year, she led the Bulldogs to their first regular season conference championship.

Bras spearheaded the most successful season in Bryant volleyball history as a senior in 1994, when she carried the Bulldogs to the round of 16 in the NCAA tournament, completing a four-year stretch in which the Bulldogs were a combined 116-36.

She finished her career with 2,045 kills and was the first player in school history with more than 1,500. She had an incredible 16 triple-doubles in the 1992 season and 24 in her career. She was an all-tournament selection in every tournament she played in.

A 1995 graduate of Bryant and the school's female athlete of the year in 1994 and 1995. She still holds the school record for kills in a season (694 in 1994) and is second on the career list.