On Nov. 1, the Case Western Reserve University volleyball team took center stage to honor a quartet of standout seniors during an emotional Senior Day showdown against Otterbein University.
The spotlight shone brightly on co-captains Kalli Wall and Amanda Ngo, along with fellow fourth-years Kiya Levy and Elizabeth Onyekwere, four athletes who have left an indelible mark on Spartan volleyball. Over their illustrious careers, this senior class has amassed an impressive 85-37 overall record and made back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances in 2023 and 2024, etching their legacy in program history.
“Their legacy is creating this really positive collaborative team dynamic where people felt like they belonged,” Head Coach Karen Farrell said. “A lot of times, success is really judged on wins and losses, and while we’ve won a number of matches this year and some big matches, we lost a number of matches early where our experience just wasn’t there against the level of competition we were playing. But this season, I would completely say is one of the most successful seasons we’ve ever had, and it’s because of who these players are and what they’ve created for us and what the lasting impact of that will be for this program.”

Kalli Wall

Since stepping onto the court as a first-year, fourth-year co-captain and outside hitter Kalli Wall has been a force for the Spartans. A consistent powerhouse in the lineup, Wall has ranked among the team’s top hitters every season, surpassing an incredible 1,000 career kills—a testament to her dominance, resilience and lasting impact on the program.

“I think a big part of my success has been working hard in the off season to improve my skills and athletic abilities,” Wall said. “I also could not have been at the level I am without the support from my incredible teammates, coaches and family.”
Wall is set to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and a minor in communication sciences. Beyond her demanding coursework and commitment to varsity volleyball, she has also served as a cadet in the United States Air Force ROTC program. Through the program, she has taken additional classes at Kent State University and completed the rigorous training required to commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force after graduation.
As if balancing academics, athletics and military training weren’t enough, Wall is also an active member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority at CWRU. Juggling such a demanding schedule hasn’t been easy, but Wall has met every challenge head-on.
“Time management has been a vital skill I have learned throughout my college career,” Wall said. “Balancing a hard major, volleyball, ROTC and sorority life has definitely had its ups and downs. The main thing I learned that has helped me is prioritizing certain aspects of each thing depending on what is most important at that moment. Sometimes, you have to advocate for yourself because you can’t be in two places at once and you can’t be expected to do everything all the time.”
Farrell has continually praised Wall for her impressive talent, skill and strong team leadership.
“It is pretty amazing what she’s accomplished considering the major she has,” Farrell said. “So for her to come in and be a starter right away tells a lot about her talent level. She’s having an unreal senior season, like just so consistent every time she steps on the floor. I’m really, really proud of what she’s accomplished.”
After graduation, Wall will be commissioned as a weather officer in the U.S. Air Force, where she will spend her first one to two years studying meteorology at the Air Force Institute of Technology.
Looking back on her four years at CWRU, Wall reflects with pride on the growth and perseverance she and her fellow fourth-years have shown, both on and off the court. Their journey, she says, has been one defined by resilience, leadership and an unwavering commitment to excellence.
“I feel like I am a completely different person than I was when I came in freshman year,” Wall said. “I have gained so much experience and I have learned so much from my fellow seniors. It has been so amazing to watch them find success not just in volleyball, but in everything they have been involved in throughout college.”
Though Wall has come to terms with this being her final season of collegiate volleyball, she admits she’s not quite ready to leave the game behind. Still, she looks ahead with excitement and optimism.
“I don’t want to say that I am leaving volleyball behind, because I will always find a random tournament or a league to play in,” Wall said. “However, leaving behind this level of competition and leaving my teammates is going to be really hard. I feel like I am ready to see it come to an end in the sense that I have given my all these past four years, and I think I am ready to put some of that energy into a different area of my life.”
Amanda Ngo
Fourth-year co-captain and middle blocker Amanda Ngo has cemented her legacy as one of the most decorated players in CWRU volleyball history. This past weekend, Ngo achieved a major milestone by surpassing 1,000 career points. She leaves the program with 832 kills, 319 blocks, and the sixth-highest blocks-per-set average ever recorded by a Spartan. In 2024, Ngo earned AVCA All-America Third Team honors, becoming just the second All-American in the program’s history.
“I think it’s nice to succeed, of course, but I think it really reflects on the people around me that have poured into my career,” Ngo said. “From family, to teammates, to coaches, to my sorority sisters, each one of these communities have made me a better person and a better player. I try to thank them for that support when I can but I should probably do it more.”
In her first two years as a Spartan, Ngo had the rare opportunity to share the court with her older sister, Jennifer Ngo (2019–2023). Jennifer made program history in 2023 when she was named to the AVCA All-America First Team—the first player in CWRU volleyball history to earn that distinction. Together, the Ngo sisters stand as the only players in program history to achieve All-America honors, leaving a lasting legacy on Spartan volleyball.
“I think being with my sister Jennifer helped me in my first two seasons,” Ngo said. “Having that familiar support I’ve had at home is something that I often took for granted before coming to Case. My parents also instilled this sort of belief system I have. If I’m going to commit to something, I will do it to my best ability. I love the sport, yes, but when it gets tough with all other factors of life I go back to the basics my parents have taught me.”
Off the court, Ngo continues to make an impact as a Civic Engagement Scholar, a program that honors students committed to meaningful community involvement. She also works in the Case School of Dental Medicine’s Bolton-Brush Growth Study Center, where she digitizes radiographs and studies models from longitudinal research to support ongoing scholarly work. Additionally, Ngo is a member of the CWRU chapter of the Black Latinx Athletes Coalition (BLAC), further exemplifying her dedication to advocacy and representation.
“Each year, I make a commitment to serve the greater Cleveland community from cleaning the Boys and Girls Club to helping with Case’s foodbank,” Ngo said. “I’ve loved the experiences I’ve gained from volunteering and giving back to the community that has given me so many opportunities. I also worked with BLAC for the past 3 years. I got into that because I wanted to find a space that everyone in athletics felt seen and heard and it was fun to be able to interact with people from so many different sports.”
Farrell is extremely grateful for the opportunity to coach Ngo, valuing not only her on-court talent, but also her positive attitude toward the team and the game.
“She’s always positive. She’s really like the life of the group when she’s in the mix,” Farrell said. “She’s incredibly talented athletically. She’s also come a long way in becoming a stronger volleyball player. I think her first year or so, she was just playing as an athlete, but now she really makes great decisions with what she does with the ball. She’s just a formidable presence.”
Ngo will be graduating in the spring with a degree in neuroscience and minors in chemistry and Spanish. She plans to take some time at home before entering dental school. Ngo is sad to be graduating, but is appreciative of the time and experiences she has had at Case.
“I know it’ll hit me when I don’t have practice everyday and there’s this slot of time that isn’t dedicated to volleyball,” Ngo said. “It’ll be nice to enjoy non-athletic life, but I’ll miss the team aspect the most. The people really make the sport and I’m so grateful and proud of the girls I’ve been able to call my teammate throughout my years.”
Elizabeth Onyekwere
Fourth-year right side hitter Elizabeth Onyekwere has been playing volleyball since elementary school. Though injuries have limited her ability to record stats compared to some teammates, she has made a meaningful impact on the team and maximized her time at CWRU.
Motivated by a family history of heart disease, Onyekwere has long been passionate about healthcare, and the strong reputation of CWRU’s healthcare programs ultimately drew her to CWRU.
“My recruiting process was finding the best school for me academically, and then volleyball followed,” Onyekwere said. “I knew D3 was the best option for me, and the plethora of opportunities in healthcare is what ultimately drew me to Case.”

Onyekwere’s senior season was sadly cut short when she tore her ACL during warmups in September, but she has continued to support her teammates and stay involved as she enjoys her final year as a Spartan. Farrell expressed her disappointment at losing Onyekwere on the court this season.

“We’ve missed her sort of being in the mix,” Farrell said. “She hasn’t been in a lot of our practices post-surgery, so it’s been a loss for our team. She’s a quieter player, but someone that players really looked up to and really like being around. She’s got a very nurturing way about her with some of the younger players, so I think that they lost out, especially our freshman class, on having a full season with her.”
Outside of volleyball, Onyekwere has built an impressive academic and professional portfolio. She is majoring in nutritional biochemistry and metabolism, minoring in chemistry, and is also earning her master’s degree in bioethics and medical humanities.
Over the past four years, she has been active in the Children’s Heart Foundation and the American Heart Association, where she has attended Scientific Sessions, served on the Youth Leadership Council and founded a campus organization called the Heart Health Collective. Additionally, she has gained valuable experience through medical research focused on pediatric nutrition and working at the Cleveland Clinic as a patient care nursing assistant and clinical technician since her freshman year.
“Making a 4-year plan made it easier for me to plan out my semesters so that I wouldn’t overwhelm myself, especially in the fall,” Onyekwere said. “I also love my physical planner and planning out my week on Sundays. Enjoying everything I’m doing has also made balancing easier. I love my major, sport, team and every activity I decide to dedicate my time to.”
After graduation, Onyekwere plans to return home to Texas to work in clinical research while applying to medical school. Though she is excited for the next chapter, she will deeply miss her time at CWRU and the bonds she has built with her teammates.
“It feels surreal to be at this point because I feel like I just got to campus last semester,” Onyekwere said. “There is still so much I want to accomplish, so part of me still can’t believe this chapter is already coming to an end. It is a bittersweet feeling since this sport has been such a huge part of my life, but I appreciate everything it has brought me.”

Kiya Levy

Fourth-year middle blocker Kiya Levy has been a steady presence for the Spartans since her first year. Hailing from Chicago, she has appeared in 90 of the team’s 122 matches over the past four seasons.

Farrell has valued Levy’s adaptability on the court and her willingness to step in wherever needed to help the team improve.

“Any time she was asked to step in and play in big moments, she did an awesome job,” Farrell said. “She was very confident stepping on the court and just has a very steady game. She’s probably one of our best all-around players in terms of just the fundamental skill set. She can really do anything. And she often will kind of step in during the chaos of play, like when the set doesn’t really go where it’s supposed to, she is able to kind of step in and make the play better.”
Levy wrapped up her career with 364 kills and 198 blocks over four seasons. She plans to graduate with a degree in mechanical engineering and pursue graduate studies afterward.

Overall, Farrell feels this graduating class has created a fun, safe and energizing environment for the team this season, an accomplishment she is both proud of and grateful for.
“They made this season so enjoyable,” Farrell said. “It’s such a pleasant environment to walk in our gym, and it’s really because of them. They’re just very collaborative and welcoming and encouraging and supportive.”

Farrell hopes the positive attitude and team culture fostered by these four seniors will continue to influence future Spartans.

“I love this season with these four players,” Farrell said. “It’s given our program a very different level of comfort and just positive dynamic that we really needed. I’m hopeful that it sets the table for all the future classes who’ve played with them to continue it because it’s awesome. For everybody to feel like they can go out and practice and make mistakes, but learn from them and improve their own play so that they have opportunities in the future, I think this group has provided that leadership. Not a top-down way, but in a ‘we’re all in this together’ way.”