No.3-seeeded Skyhawks looks to earn first NCAA Tournament win against No. 6 Jefferson in NCAA East Region first round Thursday at noon
NCAA East Regional Information Page
NCAA Division II Volleyball Championships Online Program
NCAA Division II Volleyball Championships Bracket
Remick leads the Skyhawks into their third NCAA Tournament bid, having been named to the All-NE10 first team. (PHOTO BY Jan Volk/SportsPix) |
EASTON, Mass. (December 1, 2021) - Third-seeded Stonehill College will open the first round of the 2021 NCAA Division II Volleyball Tournament against sixth-seeded Jefferson University at the East Regional Championship, hosted by American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts, at Butova Gymnasium tomorrow at noon.
Tickets for the 2021 NCAA Division II East Region Volleyball Championship will go on sale 60 minutes prior to the first match on each day. Ticket prices are as follows: Adults: $10 Seniors, Children & Student $5. The regional will also be streamed live via NE10 NOW, with links available via stonehillskyhawks.com or via the NE10 NOW app live on their televisions through Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku.
Stonehill comes into Thursday's contest with an overall 21-9 record and 10-3 record in Northeast-10 Conference play led by NE10 Coach of the Year, Craig Martin. The 21 wins marked the eighth time in program history the Skyhawks reached 20 wins and the first since 2014. The strong regular season resulted in a No. 3 seed which also tied a program best, after being ranked No. 1 in the region the first two rankings of the year for the first time in program history. Despite starting the season with four losses in the 2021 Shark Invitational in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the squad rattled off an impressive 21-5 stretch which included a point where the Skyhawks earned 15 wins in 16 contests, and 20 wins in 22 matches.
Throughout the year, the Skyhawks received contributions from many student-athletes and saw four student-athletes earn All-NE10 honors that included first selection Abby Remick, two secod team placements in senior Shannon Burgess and junior Basia Peragine, and senior libero Carly Russell, named to the third team, while sophomore Jentry Allen was named to the NE10 All-Rookie Team.
Russell is the first in Stonehill history with 500 digs in a season, entering NCAAs with a program-record 521 digs. (PHOTO BY Jan Volk/SportsPix) |
Remick, a senior captain, earned All-NE10 honors for the first time as well as a spot on the NE10 All-Championship team, and has played all 30 matches for Stonehill this fall where she averages a team-high 3.14 kills and 3.6 points per set, while also contributing 0.28 service aces, 2.42 digs and 0.27 blocks per set, having scored a team-high 393.5 points this season. She is ranked ninth among NE10 leaders for kills per set and tenth in scoring. Remick earned NE10 Player of the Week honors for the first time in her career on September 28 and has totaled a team-high 11 double-doubles this fall (15 career), including four of the last six matches.
Burgess is hitting .237 with 2.01 kills and a team-best 0.67 blocks per set. Her strong ability to block shots ranked her in the top-15 in the NE10 (11th). Whereas her 284.5 points on the year is third on the team, and has produced eight double-figure kill totals this season. Peragine is averaging 2.86 kills, posting a .218 hitting percentage, 0.37 blocks and averaged 3.1 points per set this season. She is second on the team in scoring with 340 points, ranking 11th in the NE10 for kills per set. Peragine has totaled double-digit kills in a team-high 19 matches this season, including each of the last 14.
Russell is the first in program history to eclipse 500 digs in a season, ranking fifth in the NE10 with 4.69 digs per set and 13th with 0.37 service aces per set. She enters the NCAA Tournament with a school-record 521 digs this fall, and 959 over 82 career matches played. Allen has appeared in 27 matches, averaging 1.92 kills per set. Senior Lauren Wilke averages a team-high 7.48 assists per set (10th NE10), with 2.60 digs and 0.20 aces per set this fall.
Jefferson enters the East Regional with a 26-4 record overall, including 14-4 in the Central Athletic Collegiate Conference (CACC) which resulted in a CACC Championship for the Rams. The 26 wins are the most for the program since the 2017 season when they also finished with 26 wins. The Rams were awarded the sixth seed in this year's NCAA Tournament and it is their first appearance since 2016.
Peragine is a second team All-NE10 pick and helps lead the Skyhawks attack (PHOTO BY Bob Blanchard) |
Jefferson is led by a trio of freshmen including CACC Rookie of the Year and All-CACC first team honoree, Jess Molen and All-CACC second team selections for Sam Mann and Kristine Guenther
Molen leads the the CACC with 3.80 kills per set and ranks fourth in the CACC in total kills (388). She is also third in the Conference with 54 service aces. Molen has also racked up 316 digs and 22 blocks. Her 469.5 points scored this season are fourth-best in the CACC and first on the team. Molen was named the CACC Player of the Week three times this year and earned Rookie of the Week accolades on five occasions. Mann has totaled 101 blocks during the campaign, which is good for first on the team, and tied for fifth in the conference. Her average of 0.98 per set is fifth, having amassed 39 solo blocks to rank second in the CACC. She has produced a hitting percentage of .333, which is third-best in the conference, with 2.16 kills per set on the year. She was selected the CACC Rookie of the Week once this season.
Guenther's 10.17 assists per set ranks second in the CACC, having also compiled 212 digs, 37 kills, 29 service aces, and 23 blocks, earning CACC Setter of the Week three times this season.
Thursday's matchup will be the third meeting all-time between Stonehill and Jefferson. The Skyhawks currently carry a 2-0 record all-time against the Rams. In their first meeting, Stonehill handed Jefferson a 3-0 sweep in 2011. Eight years later the schools met again where Stonehill earned a hard-fought 3-2 victory in 2019.
2021 NCAA Division II East Regional
hosted by American International College, Springfield, Massachusetts
Thursday, December 2 | Quarterfinals
Match 1: No. 3 Stonehill vs. No. 6 Jefferson, Noon
Match 2: No. 2 Daemen vs. No. 7 Bentley, 2:30 p.m.
Match 3: No. 8 Southern Connecticut State at No. 1 American International, 5 p.m.
Match 4: No. 4 New Haven vs. No. 5 Holy Family, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, December 3 | Semifinals
Match 5: Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2, 5 p.m.
Match 6: Winner of Match 3 vs. Winner of Match 4, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 4 | Championship
Match 7: Winner of Match 5 vs. the Winner of Match 6, 5 p.m.
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