Stevens Chosen to Repeat as Empire 8 Volleyball Champions
August 14, 2008
ROCH
ESTER, NY – Stevens Institute of Technology is the unanimous choice to capture the Empire 8 Volleyball Championship in a preseason poll of conference coaches. The Ducks, who captured the title in their first season in the conference last year, finished 36-5 a year ago and made their second consecutive trip to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Volleyball Championship.
This season’s two conference weekends in which all conference matches will take place will be hosted by Stevens Sept. 26-28 and by Ithaca College Oct. 24-26. The championship tournament featuring the top four teams in regular season play will be hosted by the top seed on Nov. 8. This year also marks the first season of 25-point sets (rather than 30-point games) with a decisive fifth set, if necessary, still going to 15 points.
Senior setter/right-side hitter Melissa Rhode returns to the Ducks after earning Empire 8 Player of the Year honors in 2007. Senior outside hitter Melanie Volk garnered second-team honors last season and senior middle blocker Summer Hamilton was named Most Valuable Player of the Empire 8 championship tournament. Rhode and senior middle blocker Jessica Gardner received honorable mention All-America accolades.
The Ducks, who finished last season ranked 19th in Division III, set school records for wins and putting together a 25-match winning streak. Stevens currently holds a 24-match home win streak and a 40-match consecutive win streak against conference opponents dating back to 2004 in the Skyline and Empire 8 conferences.
Rochester Institute of Technology, which advanced to the conference title match and received a bid to the NCAA Division III Volleyball Championship, was a narrow pick by the coaches to place second this season. Senior outside hitter Jessica Schaffer was named to the all-conference first team and is a two-time all-conference selection. She earned honorable mention All-America recognition.
The coaches’ choice to finish third is Nazareth College, which advanced to the regional finals of the NCAA championship before falling to Stevens. Senior outsider hitter Laura Persico gained first-team all-conference honors for the second consecutive season and joined junior setter Kate Zwickl as an honorable mention All-American. Zwickl was also named to the all-conference first team.
Ithaca is the preseason selection to finish fourth again this season. The Bombers finished last season with a win over Vassar College to capture the ECAC Upstate New York Championship tournament. Ithaca must replace three-time first-team all-conference selection and 2006 Empire 8 Player of the Year Amanda Hubbard.
St. John Fisher College edged Hartwick College for the fifth spot in the preseason coaches’ poll. The Cardinals rebounded from a slow start to post a 14-9 record over their last 23 matches in 2007. Junior Jenna Waldron was named Empire 8 Libero/Defensive Specialist of the Year and set an Empire 8 record by averaging 7.4 digs per game in conference matches.
Hartwick finished 18-15 a year ago and was involved in several close conference matches. The Hawks advanced to the semifinals of the ECAC Upstate New York tournament before falling to eventual champion Ithaca.
Elmira College is the coaches’ choice to place seventh this season. The Eagles ranked 17th in the nation in digs a year ago and head coach Rhonda Faunce earned her 417th career win to move into the top-25 all-time in NCAA Division III victories.
Utica College and Alfred University were picked to place eighth and ninth, respectively. Catherine Rieck takes over the helm of the Saxons this season.
2008 Empire 8 Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Stevens Institute of Technology 64 points
2. Rochester Institute of Technology 54
3. Nazareth College 52
4. Ithaca College 44
5. St. John Fisher College 33
6. Hartwick College 31
7. Elmira College 21
8. Utica College 15
9. Alfred University 9