CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Illinois volleyball head coach Chris Tamas announced the addition of Christina Martinez Mundo on Thursday. Martinez Mundo comes to Champaign-Urbana following a four-year stint at Eastern Illinois.
Christina Martinez Mundo // San Juan, Puerto Rico // Eastern Illinois // Guaynabo Volleyball Academy // DS/L // 5-6
Notes: Played four seasons of indoor volleyball and two seasons of beach volleyball at Eastern Illinois… Named to the All-OVC First Team in 2023 and the All-OVC Second Team in 2022… Started every match of her senior campaign at libero, finishing with 676 digs and 5.63 digs per set… Logged 33 digs, the most in a three-set contest, in the OVC Championship match to send her team to the NCAA Tournament… Recorded double-digit digs in all but two matches in 2023, including 18 matches with at least 20 digs... As a junior, recorded an EIU-record 598 digs with a 4.98 digs-per-set average... Named Academic All-District as selected by College Sports Communicators in 2023.
Coach Tamas on Martinez Mundo: "Christy is a tenacious player and fiery competitor. We played against her several times in the last few years and were always impressed with her ability to read the game and lead her team. She always seems to be in the right place at the right time and is able to come up with big plays defensively. That is needed at every level, especially ours. We are excited to have Christy for her final collegiate season before she pursues her professional career."
Why Illinois? "I felt that it was time for me to level up, get better and bet on myself. The moment I stepped foot in Illinois and met the coaches, it all felt so familiar. The most important thing for me was that the coaches gave me the feeling that they want me to make an impact by being myself. All I want is to make the players around me 1% better every day, and I can't wait to do it for Illinois. I know I will be pushed to better my game. I could not be more excited to accept the challenge and compete."
Christina Martinez Mundo // San Juan, Puerto Rico // Eastern Illinois // Guaynabo Volleyball Academy // DS/L // 5-6
Notes: Played four seasons of indoor volleyball and two seasons of beach volleyball at Eastern Illinois… Named to the All-OVC First Team in 2023 and the All-OVC Second Team in 2022… Started every match of her senior campaign at libero, finishing with 676 digs and 5.63 digs per set… Logged 33 digs, the most in a three-set contest, in the OVC Championship match to send her team to the NCAA Tournament… Recorded double-digit digs in all but two matches in 2023, including 18 matches with at least 20 digs... As a junior, recorded an EIU-record 598 digs with a 4.98 digs-per-set average... Named Academic All-District as selected by College Sports Communicators in 2023.
Coach Tamas on Martinez Mundo: "Christy is a tenacious player and fiery competitor. We played against her several times in the last few years and were always impressed with her ability to read the game and lead her team. She always seems to be in the right place at the right time and is able to come up with big plays defensively. That is needed at every level, especially ours. We are excited to have Christy for her final collegiate season before she pursues her professional career."
Why Illinois? "I felt that it was time for me to level up, get better and bet on myself. The moment I stepped foot in Illinois and met the coaches, it all felt so familiar. The most important thing for me was that the coaches gave me the feeling that they want me to make an impact by being myself. All I want is to make the players around me 1% better every day, and I can't wait to do it for Illinois. I know I will be pushed to better my game. I could not be more excited to accept the challenge and compete."
