Women's Volleyball 8/31/2017 7:40:00 AM Lea Sobieraski, Athletics Communications Graduate Assistant

Women's Volleyball Opens Season At Crimson Hawk Invitational

GAME INFORMATION
Daemen Wildcats (0-0, 0-0 ECC) vs. Ursuline Arrows (0-0, 0-0 GMAC)
Friday, September 1 | 4:30 p.m.
Indiana, Pa. | Memorial Field House

Daemen Wildcats (0-0, 0-0 ECC) vs. Clarion Eagles (0-0, 0-0 PSAC)
Friday, September 1 | 7:00 p.m.
Indiana, Pa. | Memorial Field House

Daemen Wildcats (0-0, 0-0 ECC) vs. Indiana (Pa.) Crimson Hawks (0-0, 0-0 PSAC)
Saturday, September 2 | 10:00 a.m.
Indiana, Pa. | Kovalchick Convention & Athletic Complex
Live stats only available for this match-see link below

GAME LINKS
Live Stats (Daemen vs. Indiana)

ALBANO BACK IN ACTION
Stephanie Albano enters her second season as the Head Women's Volleyball Coach at Daemen in 2017. She was promoted to the position after serving as the Associate Head Coach in 2015. In her first season at the helm, Albano led the program to a 25-8 overall record and 13-1 mark in ECC play. She guided the Wildcats to the program's first ECC regular season championship and NCAA Tournament berth. Albano was named the 2016 East Coast Conference Coach of the year and the 2016 NCAA Division II East Region Coach of the Year last season. She was also selected as one of the AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association) 30 Under 30 wards recipients in the spring of 2017.

WILDCATS PICKED 2ND IN ECC PRESEASON POLL
Following a vote of the league's head coaches, Daemen has been picked to finish 2nd in the East Coast Conference this season after capturing the league's regular season championship in 2016.

HOW SWEET IT WAS
After finishing as the ECC tournament runner-ups, the Wildcats earned the program's first ever-NCAA Tournament berth as the No. 2 seed in the East Regional portion of the tournament which was hosted at Daemen's Lumsden gymnasium. Daemen captured their first-ever NCAA Tournament victory, defeating Post University in a five-set thriller. The next day the Wildcats advanced to the sweet 16 after defeating third-seeded University of New Haven with a 3-0 victory. But, their historic 2016 camp to an end in the regional finals, falling 3-2 to fourth-seeded American International College.

RETURNING WILDCATS
The Wildcats return eight players from last year's historic 25-8 squad. Redshirt junior Courtney Scanlan returns as a force on the oustide after registering 226 kills in her debut season as a Wildcat. Scanlan registered nine double-digit kill performances last year. Daemen also welcomes back Meghan Ballou and Cristina Apostol, the pair finished first and second on the team in total blocks respectively. Meghan Ballou, a sophomore outside hitter, finished her freshman campaign with 178 kills and 48 blocks. Apostol, a sophomore middle blocker, concluded her rookie season with 185 kills and 43 blocks. Offensive threat Courtney Bernard is back on the season in 2017, the junior middle blocker recorded 153 kills and 41 blocks in just 19 matches. Senior leader Katie McKrell and sophomore Sydney MacInnis return as the top floor generals at the setting position for the Wildcats. Lastly, Daemen's defensive efforts will be led by junior Kailey Ballou and sophomore Jess Kranz, in 2016 the duo registered 318 and 209 dig respectively.

FRESH FACES
Daemen welcomes six true freshmen to the 2017 squad, including players from five different states. Ali Greenwood, a defensive specialist, comes to Daemen from the Greater Chicago area where she was a two-year starter for the west Aurora Blackhawks, helping them to an Upstate 8 Conference championship in 2015. Fellow defensive specialist Georgia Wicker hails from northern Illinois where she earned four varsity letters for the Woodstock Blue Streaks. She ended her scholastic career with a school record 1,857 digs. Outside hitter Abby Francis comes from Royal Oak, Michigan and brings an ability to play both the front and back rows. Jennifer Heritz, a 6-foot middle-blocker comes to Daemen from The Hoosier State , where she starred for the Penn Kingsmen and helped her team win two sectional championships. Allison Post, another 6-footer, traveled from Windsor, California to join the Wildcat squad. The outside hitter was a two-time All-North Bay league first-team selection in her four year career. Rounding out the rookie class is local athlete Tirzah Peters who comes to Daemen after an impressive athletic career just a short drive away at Sweet Home High School. The 6-foot middle blocker earned six varsity letters on the volleyball court for the Panthers.

URSULINE SCOUTING REPORT
Ursuline is a member of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC) and was picked to finish fourth in the East division of the conference. The Arrows are coming off a 2016 season that saw them win their most games since 2014, finishing with an overall 17-10 record when they advanced to the conference tournament semifinals. Head Coach Jayme Plummer enters his second season and returns five players who saw significant time in 2016 with the addition of five newcomers. Offensively the Arrows will look to sophomore Vikki Henderson who finished third on the team in hitting percentage (.163) and kills (294) in 2016. Katelyn Selleny, a junior setter, returns to the scene after a stellar sophomore showing. Selleny finished among the leaders in assists in the Great Midwest in 2016 while registering her first 1,000 plus assist season (1,066). She currently ranks first as the all-time assist leader in program history. The Sophomore middle blocking duo of Jill Morrow and Angela Zamora return as the Arrow's key middle blockers, the pair finished last season with 91 and 54 kills respectively in 38 sets played.

CLARION SCOUTING REPORT
Clarion is a member of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) and was predicted to win the newly-formed Southwest division of the PSAC. Head Coach Jennifer Herron enters her 12^th season returning 14 players with the addition of four freshmen in 2017. The Eagles finished the 2016 season 16-14 overall and tied for third in the conference with a 10-8 mark. Second-teamm All-PSAC outside hitter Taylor Braunage returns after leading the team with 359 total kills and a 3.42 kills per set average in 2016. Junior middles Lauryn Driscoll and Olivia Olson, and junior outside hitter Marissa Robertson are returning starters who will also provide key offensive performances. Last season the threesome registered 227, 172, and 217 kills respectively. Senior libero Catherine Ferragonio and junior setter Leah Vensel top the list of returning starters. Ferragonio tallied a career high 457 digs last season, surpassing the 1,000 dig milestone. Vensel led the team with 953 total assists on the season and recorded 50-plus assists in four different matches.

INDIANA (PA.) SCOUTING REPORT
Indiana (Pa.) is a member of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) and was recently selected to finish third out of four playoff contenders in the Southwest division of the PSAC. IUP is coming off one of its best seasons in recent history after finishing 2016 with a 20-11 mark and advancing to the PSAC semifinals for the first time in more than a decade. Head coach Scott Pennewill enters his third season with IUP in 2017. The Crimson Hawks return six of their top performers from last year's postseason run including Natalie Cignetti, Alexis Anderson, Gabby Egler, Elora Pittman, Jess Marut, and Breanna Damiani. The six combined for 68 percent of IUP's kills and 62 percent of the team's digs last year. Cignetti, a senior outside hitter, was an All-Atlantic Region pick in 2016 after registering 446 kills with a 3.75 kills per set average. Defensively the Hawks will be led by junior libero Marut, who, in just two seasons has put up 1,202 digs. Anderson, a veteran outside hitter, finished third on the team last year in kills and added 11 double-digit kill performances.

UP NEXT
The second weekend of the season (September 8-9) has Daemen playing four matches at the California University (Pa.) Vulcan Invitational. On Friday, the Wildcats open tournament play with matches against Davis & Elkins College and Lake Erie College. On Saturday, Daemen will face Fairmont State University and the host Cal Vulcans, starting a stretch of four straight matches against 2016 NCAA Tournament qualifiers.

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Players Mentioned

#15 Cristina Apostol: MB; 6' 2"; Sophomore

#1 Kailey Ballou: L; 5' 7"; Junior

#2 Meghan Ballou: OH; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#9 Courtney Bernard: MB/RS; 6' 0"; Junior

#4 Jess Kranz: DS; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#8 Sydney MacInnis: S; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#11 Katie McKrell: S; 5' 8"; Senior

#7 Courtney Scanlan: OH; 6' 1"; Redshirt Junior

#3 Ali Greenwood: DS; 5' 6"; Freshman

#10 Georgia Wicker: DS; 5' 3"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#15 Cristina Apostol
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: MB

#1 Kailey Ballou
: 5' 7"; Junior
: L

#2 Meghan Ballou
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: OH

#9 Courtney Bernard
: 6' 0"; Junior
: MB/RS

#4 Jess Kranz
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: DS

#8 Sydney MacInnis
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: S

#11 Katie McKrell
: 5' 8"; Senior
: S

#7 Courtney Scanlan
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Junior
: OH

#3 Ali Greenwood
: 5' 6"; Freshman
: DS

#10 Georgia Wicker
: 5' 3"; Freshman
: DS