AMHERST, N.Y. -- The Daemen University women's volleyball team reported to campus this past weekend and began their preseason training on Monday. Here are five things to know about the 2024 Wildcats...

1. Head coach Eli Irizarry returns for his third season at the helm after an impressive second season with the Wildcats. Under his direction, Daemen finished with an NCAA Division II-era (2015-present) record for wins with a 26-6 overall record finished with an undefeated East Coast Conference record (12-0) for the third consecutive season. The Wildcats claimed their third consecutive ECC regular-season and tournament titles, and advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the sixth season where they played in the East Region championship match for the third time in program history. The Wildcats own a 35-match conference win streak dating back to Nov. 10, 2019. Irizarry's Wildcats have gone 46-12 over the past two seasons with a 22-0 record in ECC regular season play. 
2. Daemen put together a solid postseason run, handling the ECC tournament matches with 3-1 and 3-0 finals before heading to the East Region tournament as the No. 5 seed. The Wildcats upset No. 4 American International with a 3-1 final, and faced top-seed and host Adelphi in the regional semifinal where Daemen cruised to a fantastic 3-1 victory to punch their ticket back to the regional final for the third time in program history. The Wildcats fell to No. 3 Bentley, 1-3, in the regional championship match in a tough fought match, dropping the three sets by four points or less.
3. The Wildcats return 10 players from last season, including 2023 ECC Libero of the Year and AVCA honorable mention All-America honoree Jasmine Brundage (East Aurora, N.Y.) and first team All-ECC right side Giselle Giraud (Orlando, Fla.). Playing in her fifth year at Daemen, Brundage is coming off a career year in which she led the league with 557 digs and 5.21 digs/set. The 5-foot-5 graduate student libero had 13 matches with at least 20 digs, including a season-high 34 in the regional championship match against Bentley and recorded her 1,000th career dig last season. Giraud returns for her third season as a Wildcat after posting a breakout year in 2023 in which she earned All-ECC honors for the first time. The 5-foot-11 right side started in 30 of Daemen's 32 matches and ranked second in the conference in hitting percentage (.361) and seventh in kills per set (3.13) while tallying 332 kills on the year. The Wildcats also welcome back senior middle Amelia Armstrong (River Falls, Wisc.) who ranked first on the team and seventh in the league with 0.73 blocks per set in 2023 and finished second on the team in total blocks (55) while contributing 125 kills. Senior right side Kate Ryan (Buffalo, N.Y.) had a breakout junior campaign where she posted a career-high 134 kills and finished with a .253 hitting percentage on the year. The Wildcats lost four starters from the 2023 season to graduation, setters Olivia Alessi and Dunja Masic, outside hitter Maggie Burns and middle blocker Vanessa Kuliga, along with 2023 ECC Rookie of the Year Charlotte Koerber who transferred after the season ended. 
4. The 2024 Daemen squad features seven newcomers, including two transfers with Division I experience. Outside hitter Abby Ryan (Orchard Park, N.Y.) comes to Daemen as a graduate student after playing four years of undergrad women's volleyball for Robert Morris where she appeared in 272 total sets over 83 matches and finished with 779 kills (2.86 kills/set), 42 aces, 546 digs (2.01 digs/set) and 47 blocks over four years. Setter Avery Dole (Summerfield, N.C.) transferred over from Canisius where she played in 27 matches over three seasons and totaled 441 assists (5.88 assists/set) and 147 digs (1.96 per set). Dole played in nine matches in 2023 and totaled 240 assists. (8.57/set). Irizarry brought in five freshmen in outside hitter Avery Craig (Tomball, Texas), defensive specialist Jarielys Giraud (Orlando, Fla.), middle hitter Vera Tops (Senigallia, Italy), outside hitter Olivia Urbon (Chicago, Ill.) and right side Payton Gaylor (Bowmanville, Ont.). With all-conference outside hitters Maggie Burns graduating and Charlotte Koerber transferring, the race for who will fill those spots is wide open for the newcomers this upcoming season.
5. Daemen has 24 matches on the 2024 schedule, and kicks off the year with three consecutive tournaments in the month of September beginning with the UIndy Invitational (Sept. 6-7) hosted by the University of Indianapolis where they will play four matches. The Wildcats will participate in the Sandy Hoffman Memorial Tournament hosted by Bentley (Sept. 13-14) for three matches, including a rematch of the 2023 East Region Final against the Falcons. Daemen then plays at the Crimson Hawk Classic (Sept. 20-21) hosted by Indiana University of Pennsylvania to play three matches. The Wildcats play Wilmington University and Gannon University in their final two non-conference games of the season. The back-to-back-to-back reigning ECC champs begin their 12-match conference play schedule at Roberts Wesleyan University on Oct. 16. The Wildcats will play eight home matches during the 2024 season. 

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Daemen University features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 17 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.

Follow the Daemen women's volleyball program on Twitter and Instagram at @DaemenWVB.