2015: CAC All-Academic Team ... Played in all 30 matches (97 sets) with 19 starts ... Led the Seahawks with 24 service aces ... Second on team with 459 assists ... Fifth with 173 digs ... 25 matches with double-digit assists, including 20 or more in eight matches ... Five matches with double-digit digs ... Five double-doubles ... Added eight kills and two block assists ... Season-best 27 assists three times ... Season-high 13 digs vs. Mount Saint Vincent (Oct. 9) ... Season-best three aces vs. Penn State Harrisburg (Oct. 3).
2014: CAC All-Academic Team ... Saw action in all 27 matches (98 sets) with 20 starts ... Led the Seahawks with 467 assists and 43 serve aces ... Fourth on team with 125 digs ... 24 matches with double-digit assists ... Two matches with double-digit digs ... Two double-doubles ... Contributed five kills and one block assist ... Career-best 29 assists vs. Penn College (Sept. 27) ... Season-high 13 digs vs. Franklin & Marshall (Sept. 13).
2013: CAC All-Academic Team ... Played in 27 matches (80 sets) with nine starts ... Second on team with 185 assists, 2.31 assists/set, 30 service aces, and 0.38 service aces/set ... Fifth with 132 digs and 1.65 digs/set ... Added six kills ... Seven matches with double-digit assists ... Two matches with double-digit digs ... One double-double ... Season-best 24 assists at Gettysburg (Sept. 14) ... Career-high 18 digs at Marymount (Va.) (Nov. 5) ... Season-best four aces twice.
2012: CAC All-Academic Team ... Saw action in all 30 matches (114 sets) ... Made collegiate debut vs. Randolph-Macon (Sept. 1) ... Led team with 47 service aces ... Second with 457 assists ... Four double-doubles ... 28 matches with double-digit assists, including four matches of 20+ helpers ... Four matches with double-digit digs ... First career double-double of 16 assists and 11 digs vs. Mary Washington (Oct. 2) ... Season-best 23 assists vs. Hollins (Oct. 27) ... Season-high 11 digs twice ... Career-best six aces vs. Lycoming (Oct. 26) ... Added five kills, including two kills at Franklin & Marshall (Oct. 20).
Centennial HS: 2012 graduate ... Played for Larry Schofield ... 2010 Maryland State Class 3A finalists ... 2010 regional champions ... 2010 District V champions ... 2010 Howard County champions with an undefeated record ... Team captain as a senior ... Silver Honor Roll all four years ... College Board AP Scholar with Distinction ... Minds in Motion Award ... Ellicott City Tutors ... CHS Advanced Orchestra Violist ... National Honor Society ... Tri-M Music Honor Society ... SGA secretary ... HCASC executive board secretary.
Personal: Grace Lian Chao ... Dean's List (Fall '13, '14; Spring '14) ... 2015 and 2016 St. Mary's Scholar ... Omicron Delta Kappa (leadership) ... ODK President (2015-16) ... Omicron Delta Epsilon (economics) ... Chi Alpha Sigma (student-athlete, inducted Spring '15) ... Research Assistant (2014-15) ... John R. Petrucelli Memorial Award (Spring '15) ... Nicholas Paskowsky Memorial Award in International Education (Fall 2014) ... Provost Scholarship for Foreigh Language (Fall 2014) ... Alumni Legacy Scholarship Award (2013) ... SAAC representative (2012-16) ... SMCM 3.0 Club (2012-15) ... Student Ambassador (2012-16) ... Student Conduct Board (2012-16) ... Dean's Advisory Council (2013-14) ... Economics Department Teaching Assistant (2013-16) ... Multicultural Achievement Peer Program mentor (2013-16) ... Vice President, St. Mary's River Project Education (2013-14) ... Prezi Ambassador (2013-14) ... Born March 7, 1994 in St. Mary's City, Md. ... Daughter of Henry Chao and Shirley Chao ... Her father is a 1994 St. Mary's graduate ... Has a younger sister, Katherine.
Aspirations: Pursue a Master of Arts and Master of Public Health in international development studies specializing in humanitarian assistance; seek work in the international development ector with a focus on evaluations of efficiency and effectiveness related to humanitarian aid and NGO work.
Why St. Mary's?: The beautiful campus, top-notch academics, and competitive volleyball team.
Best SMCM Sports Moments: Defeating Franklin & Marshall 15-11 in the 5th set to cap off a hard fought, well-earned undefeated weekend away from our home court (2012). ... Winning the Hollins Green Invitational (one of our first 4-match weekend tournaments) without dropping a set the entire weekend (12-0), taking Salisbury to 5 sets by pulling ahead 25-21 in the 4th set (2013). ... Despite losing the first set, rallying to win three straight sets against Mary Washington in the CAC first round in order to decisively take the match away; fighting hard to win sets two and three against No. 9 Christopher Newport in the five-set CAC semifinal despite a tough first set loss (2014).
