Women’s Volleyball Aims to Build off Successful 2006 Campaign

HOBOKEN, N.J. (August 20, 2007) – Coming off the most successful season in school history, the Stevens Institute of Technology women’s volleyball team will look to continue its upward progression following its first-ever New York Regional title and subsequent trip to the national quarterfinals in 2006. The Ducks’ main strength lies in the fact that they return 10 key members from last year’s team. Stevens, which was ranked No. 21 in the country in the final American Volleyball Coaches Association poll last season, will also be buoyed by the addition of a solid recruiting class that includes seven freshmen.

“Last year was a wonderful experience for our team,” Head Coach J.J. O’Connell (Ithaca, N.Y.) said. “We are not satisfied with just getting to the Elite Eight though. We still have some improving to do, and our players know that the goal is not just to win the region but to continue to get better year after year.”

The 2007 season will mark the first year of competition in the Empire 8 for the Stevens women’s volleyball program. Having won three straight Skyline Conference titles, the Ducks will now be taking on the likes of perennial contenders Rochester Institute of Technology, Ithaca College and Nazareth College. Still, Stevens should be one of the top teams in the Empire 8 – evidenced by the fact that the Ducks were picked to finish first in the preseason coaches’ poll. O’Connell realizes that switching conferences will certainly create more challenges in the weeks and months ahead.

“Every school in the Empire 8 runs a good program and possesses strong coaches,” O’Connell stated. “Whoever comes out of the conference is going to be ready for the NCAA Tournament because a number of teams can win the league title. I feel that our depth, versatility and experience will prove important as the season goes on.”

Heading into 2007, the Ducks will once again rely on the experienced play of senior outside hitter Dawn Herring (Prince Frederick, Md.), who was a two-time player of the year selection and three-time first-team all-star in the Skyline Conference. Last season, Herring averaged a team-high 3.36 kills per game to go along with 3.41 digs per game as she joined Melissa Rhode (New Orleans, La.) in becoming the first-ever AVCA Division III All-America honorable mention selections from Stevens.

Rhode, who has been a key component of the Ducks in each of the last two seasons, will look to build on her 2006 season in which she posted 2.54 kills and 3.08 digs per game while earning first-team All-Skyline honors. Rhode will continue to see considerable time at both the right-side hitter and setter positions due to her versatility.

Senior tri-captain JoAnne Pojuner (Princeton Junction, N.J.) will join Rhode on the right side. One of the smartest attackers on the team, Pojuner appeared in 45 games last season.

Stevens will also turn to junior Melanie Volk (Thomson Station, Tenn.) to provide depth and stability on the outside. Volk, who was the Skyline Conference Rookie of the Year in 2005, registered 2.75 kills and 3.35 digs per game last season.

In the middle, Stevens is once again stocked with a bevy of talented players that will all compete for playing time. Junior Summer Hamilton (San Diego, Calif.) was named to the All-Skyline first-team last year after averaging 2.63 kills and 0.68 blocks per game. Hamilton is a very creative player that could also see time as a right-side hitter.

Junior Jessica Gardner (Penfield, N.Y.) represents the best blocking and hitting combination on the team. In 2006, Gardner led the Ducks with 0.92 blocks per game while also picking up 2.15 kills per game. The Ducks will also look to juniors Alexa Bianchi (North Caldwell, N.J.) and Bethany Rankie (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) to help solidify the middle. Bianchi is a dynamic attacker that brings a ton of energy, and Rankie is the best blocker on the team.

Stevens also returns junior Amanda Petrocelli (Norwood, N.J.) and sophomore Laura Johnson (Middletown, N.Y.). Petrocelli is one of the hardest workers on the team and will be used in a number of roles ranging from outside hitter to right-side hitter and libero. Meanwhile, Johnson will look to build off her freshman campaign. She is a strong hitter and blocker from either the left or right side and owns one of the best serves on the squad.

The 2007 freshman class consists of Sarah Byrne (Manlius, N.Y.), Sara Budar (Honolulu, Hawaii), Brittany Conroy (Loudonville, N.Y.), Maggie Majcher (Rahway, N.J.), Julia Reilly (Oradell, N.J.), Kaitlyn Taylor (Fortville, Ind.) and Kristina Wilson (Hudson, N.H.). Byrne is an explosive jumper and powerful outside hitter. Budar will see time as a libero and setter. Conroy has excellent ball control, is a solid setter and plays well around the net.

Majcher is a well-trained right-side hitter that has a great all-around game. Reilly also has great ball skills and can serve as a libero or outside hitter. Taylor is a strong setter who has played against some top competition back home in Indiana. Wilson is the only true libero on the squad and a player that brings a lot of hustle and energy.

Looking at the 2007 schedule, the Ducks will face a number of top teams in the region and nation. Stevens opens the year with a pair of tough matches against SUNY Fredonia and Swarthmore College on August 31 as part of the always-competitive SUNY Cortland Red Dragon Classic. Then, on September 5, the Ducks kick off their home slate with a tough match against local rival New Jersey City University.

On September 8, Stevens will head to New London, Conn., to take on 2006 national quarterfinalist United States Coast Guard Academy. The Ducks will also see two nationally-ranked teams when they travel to Wisconsin to compete in the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Tournament. The entire 2007 Empire 8 schedule will be played over the course of two different weekends in September and October. St. John Fisher College and Alfred University will host the matches this year.

“Our entire region has become increasingly more competitive as teams continue to push each other to make a name for themselves on the national stage,” O’Connell said. “First and foremost, our main objective is to win the conference and give ourselves an opportunity to play for a national title.”