Garden City, N.Y. – The Adelphi University volleyball team begins its quest for the team's fifth NCAA tournament appearance in as many years when the Panthers open the 2011 season at the Valdosta State University Tournament in Georgia on Friday, September 2. Picked fourth in the NE-10 Preseason Coaches' Poll and fresh off trips to the Northeast-10 Conference Semifinals and NCAA Regional Semifinals, Adelphi aims to assemble another deep postseason run under the guidance of fifth-year Head Coach Danielle MacKnight.
“Our mindset is to treat each season as a new beginning,” MacKnight said. “Our process is heavily reliant on the goal setting we do as a team, and achieving these goals is dependent on our ability to stay healthy and maintain a sharp level of focus throughout the season. If we continue to believe in our process, we can achieve great things.”
2010 was a year with no shortage of success, both on and off the court. The Panthers brought home the NE-10 Team Academic Excellence Award and an American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Academic Award to go with their NCAA Tournament stint, but two key on-the-court award winners will leave large shoes to fill: graduated seniors and AVCA Division II All-Region selections Hilary Pavels and Heather Mau.
Together, Pavels and Mau played in 114 of 116 possible sets in 2010 and combined for over 800 digs. Pavels, the Panther's top outside hitter and NE-10 All-Conference First Team honoree, ranked fifth in the conference with 396 kills, and Mau dished out 678 assists as the team's go-to setter on her way to making the NE-10 All-Conference Second Team.
“There is no question that the shoes of Pavels and Mau will be hard to fill, but we try to treat our successes and failures as a team,” MacKnight said. “We will look to have our team come together as a whole, rather than looking to individuals to fill the gaps left by our graduated seniors.”
Seniors
Erika Loomer and Patawe Simms highlight a senior class that will be called upon to lead the Panthers as captains in 2011. Simms was second among the Panthers with 203 kills in 2010 and had a team-high 58 blocks.
“Patawe has stepped into a leadership role brilliantly so far and is focusing on becoming a bigger offensive threat in the middle which will be a huge asset for our team,” said MacKnight, who will also look to Loomer to stay healthy after an injury-shortened 2010 season.
“Erika is having her most positive and injury-free preseason, which is a great sign for the team,” said MacKnight of her senior setter. “She's one of two setters who can run our offense on their own or in tandem.”
The Panthers will finally get to see Bianca Hernandez, a Division I transfer, in action this season. The libero/defensive specialist has two years of eligibility remaining and gained high level experience playing at Stony Brook and Fordham University.
“We're expecting big things this year from Bianca,” MacKnight said. “She's already displayed a true passion for playing defense and a relentless tenacity on the court.”
Juniors
The largest class of the 2011 team, the Panthers will call upon their six juniors to carry them back to the NCAA tournament. Outside hitter Emily Dorko led all returners with 249 kills last season.
“Emily's growth in her decision making and offensive range will be looked to often this year,” MacKnight said. “I'm confident she will be a consistent and effective swing hitter.”
Bree Popham, who averaged 3.66 digs per set last season, will be a top option as a defensive specialist and shows no sign of slowing down despite having offseason surgery. Alexandra Kahen will help Popham anchor a sturdy Panther defense thanks to her 322 digs in 2010, and her consistency and smart decision making will help her factor into the offense as well.
“Bree is an inspiration to our entire team and staff as she fearlessly pursues every ball on defense and in coverage with no regard for her own safety,” MacKnight said.
Chelsea Overholt and Samantha Rico are a pair of 5-foot-11 juniors who add firepower and will be essential to a successful offense.
“Chelsea is poised to have a big junior campaign and I think fans are in for a treat when they see her offense which is improving in camp daily,” MacKnight said, “and Samantha is a great leader on our team who's a versatile middle capable of creating huge momentum swings with her offense and unparalleled ability to punish overpasses.”
Samantha Breidenbach joins the volleyball team after two seasons as a member of the Adelphi University women's basketball team.
"She is a great athlete with a great attitude," MacKnight said of Breidenbach. "I am excited to watch her improve each day knowing she will one day play a big part in our success."
Sophomores
Katie Bryson broke out as a freshman by dealing 367 assists in 97 sets last year to earn a spot on the NE-10 All-Rookie Team. Bryson wields a deadly serve to boot with 29 aces in 2010.
“Katie is the other of our two setters who has an excellent chance to lead our offense this year,” MacKnight said. “Her ability to run a faster offense should help beat the opposition's block and open up all our hitters.”
Colleen Raga, a multifaceted player who can play on either pin offensively, enters her second year much improved. “Colleen's dedicated attitude towards improving her game and our team makes her a valuable asset.”
Freshmen
“We are very pleased with our freshman class this year,” MacKnight said of newcomers Haley Blunt and Kaitlyn DeStefano. “Kaitlyn's size, physicality and agility will make her a dominant force in the middle as she grows into our system, and Haley has impressed our staff with her quick jumping and is capable of raising everyone's level on the floor when she gets fired up.”
Schedule
The Panthers head south for the two-day, four-match Valdosta State University Tournament on September 2 and 3 to open the season, and return north for a rematch of last year's NCAA Regional Semifinal game against Dowling College on September 13.
Adelphi then jumps into NE-10 play when the Panthers host Assumption on September 17 in the first half of a doubleheader that also features the Chargers of Dominican College. The Panthers face another team of Chargers, those of the University of New Haven, in a key match on October 18 when Adelphi travels to take on the defending NE-10 champions in the third game of a stretch of 10 consecutive league contests.
November 1 marks the final home date for the Panthers when they host Southern Connecticut State University before back-to-back road matches against Saint Anselm and Saint Michael's to close the regular season.
“We are excited for our season opener to see how our squad stacks up against strong teams outside our region,” MacKnight said. “After that, we'll treat each match as an opportunity for growth as a team, building towards our goal of winning a conference championship.”
