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California Institute of Technology

Emma Berg action shot

Women's Volleyball Caltech Athletics

Caltech Women’s Volleyball Announces 2025-26 Recruiting Class

Three Incoming First-Year Players Figure to Add Size, Versatility and Skill to the Beavers

Caltech Women's Volleyball will add three new players in 2025-26, each with a unique potential to improve the team, the program announced.  

Emma Berg (Casselberry, Fla. / Lyman), Veda Chennupati (Collierville, Tenn. / Collierville) and Rena Zhang (Peoria, Ill. / Dunlap) will be the incoming first-years this coming season.  

"This is a great group of young women coming in to get an amazing Caltech education and help progress our volleyball program," Head Coach Tom Gardner said.  "These three players can make the team better in many ways and their versatility gives us the depth we were lacking." 

Meet the incoming Beaver Women's Volleyball class. 



Emma Berg sets a volleyball
Emma Berg, 5'9" S/OPP 

Emma helped her club team qualify for the Girl's Junior National Championship in the 18 Open category.  Berg was a four-time team captain for her club and high school teams (2x each).  She was also a two-time Beach Volleyball starter, earning Second-Team All-Conference recognition. 

In the STEM arena, Emma founded Physics Prep Tutoring, which has an online presence with over 50,000 impressions.  She placed in the top 10 in Biomedical Design at the Florida TSA State Conference.  Berg was also the Vice President of Mu Alpha Theta, was awarded a National Merit Scholarship Program Commended Student Award and was an AP Scholar with Distinction. 

Coach Gardner commented: "Emma is an outstanding setter and attacker who will elevate our offense and give us greater variety.  I am thrilled that she is joining us." 



Veda Chennupi jumps with both hands extended upward at the net attempting to block an opposing attack. She wears a grey Jersey and the camera is posted at the sideline near the net, in line with Chennupi's shoulders.

Veda Chennupati, 6'2" OH/MB/OPP 

Veda made a big impact on her high school team, being named Most Valuable Offensive Player twice and was selected to the Mid-South All-Tournament Team. 

Chennupati is passionate about her research on rainwater harvesting, which won a state-level 1st Place award.  She has worked to bring widespread awareness to our global water crisis throughout the greater Memphis area. 

"Veda brings great size and versatility to our team and will make an immediate impact on and off the court," Gardner said.  "She's a wonderful addition to our team." 


 

Rena Zhang, viewed diagonally from behind, is airborne with her right arm extended back in preparation for an attack. The ball, already having been set, is at the top of the frame, and Zhang's ponytail swings to the left of the red numeral "6" on the back of her jersey as the jersey is slightly tugged to the right by the extension of her arm.
Rena Zhang, 5'9" OH/OPP 

Rena is a very accomplished player, recognized on the 2023 AVCA Phenom Watch List and the 2023 and 2024 JVA Watchlist. SHe won the Illinois Volleyball Coaches Association Academic All-State Award and was a 3-Time Varsity Letter winner while also serving as Captain of her 17's Elite team.  Her teams won 1st Place at the 2024 Midwest Crossroads Finale and the 2023 Rockin' Rockford Grand Prix.  She also coached two 6th Grade teams to success. 

Zhang was an Information Technology Intern at Caterpillar Inc. where she designed and developed a comprehensive Power BI report that provided insights into the company's Salesforce data usage and storage efficiency, which is now an essential tool for the global team, aiding in data management decision-making and archiving decisions.  She won 1st Place at both the Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics (ICTM) Regional Math Contest and the ICTM Regional Math Contest.  Rena also founded and organized the I Can Spike Volleyball Camp which is a free volleyball camp for kids 6-17 with disabilities.  For her campers, she designed and 3D printed hand-held volleyball game fidget toys using CAD, for each participant.  Her efforts were recognized when she was given the Extra Effort Award (awarded by the local community to a student athlete who displays exceptional effort to help the community and featured on Central Illinois CBS/Fox TV). 

"Rena is a very athletic player with great court vision," Gardner said.  "She is a smart and crafty attacker, with a big arm.  We are elated that she has chosen to play here." 

Garder continued in reference to all three players:  

"We have a solid core group of returning players and with greater depth in 2025, we will have more variety in our planning and a fresher group of players late in the season.  The youth that created a learning curve will give way to greater situational awareness and confidence that will serve us well," Gardner said.  "I am excited about our new players and returners alike and can't wait to get back on the court in August." 

With this much young talent coming to the Beavers, fans of Caltech Women's Volleyball should be excited as well. Keep an eye out for a full 2025-26 season schedule later this summer.  

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