Volleyball Voted 10th in NE-10 Preseason Poll

Northeast-10 Conference Volleyball Preseason Poll Announcement

Senior co-captain Taylor Stevens led the NE-10 Conference in service aces per set, averaging 0.52 last season.

EASTON, Mass. (August 25, 2015) – The Stonehill College volleyball team was picked to finish 10th in the Northeast-10 Conference by the 15 coaches, the league announced Thursday morning.

Adelphi University, which has claimed three of the past five NE-10 titles, was selected as the preseason favorite with 193 points and 13 of the 15 first-place votes. Franklin Pierce University (169) tallied one first-place tally and was tabbed to finish second, while Bentley University (161), University of New Haven (160) who received the final first-place point, and Le Moyne College (153) rounded out the top five. The College of Saint Rose (113) nudged out American International College (111) for a sixth-place finish, as Southern New Hampshire University (102) and Pace University (97) beat out the Skyhawks who are expected to end the season eighth, ninth and 10th, respectively.

Stonehill's 2015 campaign was wrapped up finishing 11th in the conference tallying an 11-15 overall record and a 5-9 NE-10 mark.

The Skyhawks will be led by 10 returners, as head coach Kathleen Colpoys has added three newcomers to the squad for the fall. Senior setter Taylor Stevens (Foster, R.I./Ponaganset), who was tabbed Setter of the Week in November 2015, led the conference and recorded a career high 0.52 service aces per set. Juniors Markay Nasby (Belle Plaine, Minn./Belle Plain) and Katherine DeLanty (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) will lead the offense as they averaged 2.60 and 2.35 kills per set last season, respectively. DeLanty also topped the Skyhawk leaderboards last season averaging 0.95 blocks per set. Junior outside hitter Ashley Hitchcock (Warrenville, Ill./Benet Academy) chipped in a career-high 1.44 kills per set and 2.54 digs per set.

Junior co-captain Ashley Hitchcock averaged 1.44 kills per set and 2.54 digs per set in 2015.

Also expected to play a big role is junior defensive specialist Claire Manuszak (Indianapolis, Ind./Bishop Chatard) who led the team with 4.18 digs per set. Hitchcock and Stevens have been named co-captains by Colpoy leading into the upcoming season.

Stonehill opens its 2016 campaign at the Lock Haven Invitational from Friday, September 2 to Saturday, September 3 with matches against California University of Pennsylvania, Shepherd University, University of Charleston (W.Va.), and Lock Haven University at the Thomas Fieldhouse. The Skyhawks then return home to Merkert Gymnasium the following Friday to host Saint Michael's College as part of the Stonehill Skyhawks Invitational.

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2016 Northeast-10 Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll

1. Adelphi - 193 (13)
2. Franklin Pierce - 169 (1)
3. Bentley – 161
4. New Haven - 160 (1)
5. Le Moyne – 153
6. Saint Rose – 113
7. American International – 111
8. So. New Hampshire – 102
9. Pace – 97
10. Stonehill – 84
11. Saint Anselm – 70
12. Merrimack – 57
13. Assumption – 36
14. So. Connecticut – 35
15. Saint Michael's - 34

(#) – indicates first-place votes