ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Former Lobo volleyball player Chantale Riddle has been named New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame Female Athlete of the Year for the second year in a row.
“It’s a great honor,” said head coach Jeff Nelson. “New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame is widely recognized in the state and they do a great job. She had an amazing career here and I think it is another great honor that caps off a great career. I’ve talked to her on the phone and in person about this award. I know she is very happy and grateful about it. She is excited.”
Riddle will be honored at the 42nd annual New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame ceremony that will be held Sunday, March 1st at the Sandia Casino Resort, starting at 3:30 pm. To purchase tickets, visit www.nmshof.com. The tickets are $60 per person and the deadline to purchase is February 20th.
The Roswell native will not be able to attend the banquet because she is currently play professional volleyball in Finland. She left New Mexico in early January and will be back in the United State sometime in April.
“I know some of her family will be attending the banquet but obviously she won’t be since she is playing in Finland. But she is really excited and happy about it. Being a New Mexico native, it means a lot.”
Riddle became UNM’s first three-time All-American volleyball player. She passed two-time All-American and Olympian Pauline Manser.
She goes down as one of the most decorated players in the history of Lobo volleyball. In the 2014 season, she picked up many non-conference tournament accolades, received the Mountain West weekly honor twice, was a Sports Imports/AVCA National Player of the Week selection. She was named to First Team All-Mountain West and for the third season, a Honorable Mention All-Pacific South Region.
In the 2014 season, she became UNM’s all-time leader in kills with 1,623 and in points with 1,910. She also became the Mountain West all-time leader in kills which was broken in her final match in a Lobo uniform, collecting 22 kills in a three-set sweep of Air Force.
She finished 2014 ranked first among the Mountain West in points with 4.67 per set and second in kills with 3.90 per set. Riddle ranked in the top-70 in the nation in four categories, including 43rd in points per set (4.67), 59th in total kills (441), 62nd in total blocks (136) and kills per set (3.90).