Ashland University Invitational
Match #1: Daemen Wildcats vs. Indiana (Pa.) Crimson Hawks | Friday, Sept. 5 | 12 PM | Ashland, Ohio | Kates Gymnasium
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Daemen Links: Roster |
Schedule |
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IUP Links: Roster |
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Match #2: Daemen Wildcats vs. West Liberty Hilltoppers | Friday, Sept. 5 | 8 PM | Ashland, Ohio | Kates Gymnasium
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West Liberty Links: Roster |
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Match #3: Daemen Wildcats at Ashland Eagles | Saturday, Sept. 6 | 1 PM | Ashland, Ohio | Kates Gymnasium
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Ashland Links: Roster |
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Match #4: Daemen Wildcats vs. Ursuline Arrows | Sept. 6 | 5 PM | Ashland, Ohio | Kates Gymnasium
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Ursuline Links: Roster |
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WELCOME BACK WILDCATS!
The Daemen University women's volleyball team opens the 2025 season this weekend at the Ashland University Invitational in Ashland, Ohio where they will play four matches over two days. Daemen is kicking off the
Kaysie Shebeneck era on Friday, Sept. 5 with their 2025 season opener against Indiana University (Pennsylvania) at noon before taking on West Liberty University on Friday night at 8 PM. The Wildcats will then face host Ashland University on Saturday at 1 PM and wrap up the two-day tournament with a match against Ursuline College on Sept. 6 at 5 PM.
RETURNERS
Coming off their fourth straight trip to the NCAA tournament, Daemen returns 11 players from last season's successful team that went 17-9 overall and 9-3 in ECC play. A key highlight for Daemen is senior outside hitter
Nahirka Malpica (Caguas, P.R.) who was named the 2025 ECC Preseason Player of the Year. Malpica, the top offensive weapon for the Wildcats, returns after an impressive 2024 season where she earned AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention and First Team All-ECC honors, registering 254 kills at an average of 2.99 kills per set. Sophomores
Payton Gaylor (Bowmanville, Ont.) and
Avery Craig (Tomball, Tex.) also made significant contributions to the team as freshmen, with Gaylor recording 100 kills and Craig totaling 82 in their rookie campaigns. Shebeneck brought in six newcomers to the 2025 squad, including junior setter
Maddie Schamaun (Rockville, Md.) who transfers to Daemen after two seasons at Division I Stonehill College.
PRESEASON POLL POSITION
Winners of the past four ECC regular season titles, the Wildcats were voted third in the 2025 ECC Preseason Coaches Poll. Mercy University (40 points) led the league in the preseason poll, followed by 2024 ECC Tournament winners D'Youville University (38 points) and Daemen (37 points). Queens College follows closely in fourth place with 36 points. Molloy University (19) and Roberts Wesleyan University (19) are tied for fifth, and St. Thomas Aquinas College (7) rounds out the poll in seventh place.
UP NEXT
The Wildcats will make their 2025 Lumsden Gymnasium debut next weekend at their home tournament, the Wildcat Classic presented by Ellicott Hotels on Sept. 12-13. Over the two-day tournament, Daemen will face Clarion on Friday at 6 PM, Dallas Baptist on Saturday at 12:30 PM and Wayne State on Saturday at 6:30 PM.
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 X and Instagram at @DaemenWVB.
