Following back-to-back trips to the NCAA quarterfinals and a No. 11 ranking in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III preseason poll, the
Ithaca College volleyball team has been selected as the 2019 Liberty League preseason favorite in a vote by the league’s head coaches.
The Bombers received six first-place votes (coaches are not permitted to vote for their own teams) for 48 points. Rochester Institute of Technology, which captured its first Liberty League title in 2018, and Clarkson University were picked second and third respectively with 42 and 38 points while garnering one first-place vote each. Union College and Vassar College tied for fourth with 24 points each, one point ahead of Skidmore College (23). St. Lawrence University (18) and Bard College (7) rounded out the poll.
Ithaca (21-8, 7-0 Liberty League), which joined the Liberty League in 2017 and has compiled a 13-1 record in regular-season league matches the last two years, is looking for its first Liberty League title. The Bombers were upended in the league tournament by Clarkson each of the past two years (championship match in 2017; semifinals in 2018), but managed to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. Ithaca made the most of its postseason opportunities, advancing to the national semifinals in 2017 and the quarterfinals last year. In both trips, the Bombers were eliminated in a close match against the eventual national champion. With four starters and a pair of All-Liberty League players returning, Ithaca will be looking to continue its postseason success. Junior outside hitter Reagan Stone followed up her Rookie of the Year campaign by earning Liberty League Player of the Year honors last season. The New York Region Player of the Year and second team All-American, Stone led the Liberty League in kills per set (4.44) and points per set (5.18) while also finishing in the top ten in hitting percentage and service aces. Senior setter Caitlyn Floyd, an All-Liberty League first-team player and third team All-American, will once again fuel the Bombers’ attack. Floyd leads all returning Liberty League players with 10.74 assists per set. Sophomore outside hitter Allison Lipton (2.03 kills/set) also had a solid first season and expects to be a regular contributor. Still a largely young team, Ithaca has five sophomores and five first-year players who will also compete for playing time.
RIT (29-5, 6-1 Liberty League) may have been the biggest surprise in the league last season. The Tigers, with five starters returning from a team that went 29-5 a year ago, won’t sneak up on anyone this year. Picked seventh in the league’s preseason poll a year ago, RIT captured its first Liberty League title and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament. Sophomore outside hitter Katie Hobler was an impact player in her first season for the Tigers. Hobler, the Liberty League and New York Region Rookie of the Year, All-Liberty Liberty League first-team selection and third team All-American, led all league players with 531 kills and 600.5 points while finishing second in kills per set (4.43) and fourth in hitting percentage (.329). RIT returns four of its top five players in kills as Hobler is joined by junior Taylor Higgins (2.75), senior Kelly Waters (2.17) and senior Shelby Doheny (1.56). Higgins joined Hobler as an All-Liberty League selection, earning second-team honors. Graduated is All-Liberty League setter and honorable mention All-American Erin Parkinson. The Tigers will need to find a replacement for the Liberty League’s assist leader and offensive catalyst. RIT hosts Ithaca on Oct. 23 in what could prove to be a pivotal league match.
Clarkson (17-11, 4-3 Liberty League) advanced to the Liberty League championship match last season, the eighth straight year in which the Golden Knights have played in the final. Clarkson returns five starters from last season and will be in a strong position to contend with the top teams. Senior libero Kate Isaksen earned first team All-America honors, becoming the school’s first-ever first-team selection. Isaksen led Division III in total digs with 901 while finishing second with 7.97 digs per set – the third-highest figure in Division III since the sport changed to the 25 points-per-set system in 2008. Fellow senior and All-Liberty League first-team selection Rachel Reusch ranked fifth in the league in kills per set (3.51) with a .342 hitting percentage, good for second in the league. Senior Maggie Bredehoeft (2.96 kills/set) and junior Gillian Kurtic (2.45 kills/set), join Reusch among the returning kills leaders. Junior setter Amanda Collins ranked fifth in the league with 8.23 assists per set.
Union (16-11, 3-4 Liberty League) returns virtually its entire starting lineup from last year. Since the majority of the team’s key contributors are now juniors, the Dutchwomen are only going to continue to get better. Juniors Gillian Gore (3.18 kills/set), Laura Atalay (3.12) and Stephanie Libonati (2.32) combined for more than 60 percent of the team’s total kills last season. Gore, an All-Liberty League second-team selection, led the team in both kills per set and digs per set while ranking eighth in the league in kills. Atalay, who earned All-Liberty League honorable mention honors, was the team’s overall leader in kills, digs and service aces. She ranked fourth in the league in aces per set (0.47). Junior Sage Shimamoto was the team’s primary setter, ranking fourth in the league with 8.29 assists per set.
Vassar (15-10, 4-3 Liberty League) was picked in a tie for fourth with Union. The Brewers earned the third seed in the Liberty League tournament last year and lost a competitive five-set match to RIT in the finals. Vassar, which returns two starters, will have to replace a talented trio of recently graduated seniors in Devan Gallagher, Annie MacMillan and Jane McLeod. Gallagher, an All-Liberty League first-team selection and honorable mention All-American, led the team in kills (3.79), digs (3.31) and points (4.38) per set while ranking second in service aces (0.46). McLeod (3.42 kills, 1.71 digs) and MacMillan (10.11 assists) were both All-Liberty League second-team selections. Sophomore setter/hitter Sara Ehnstrom (2.27 kills) is the team’s top returning player statistically and may also be a candidate to replace MacMillan in the setter role. Seniors Jennifer Kerbs and Colette Cambey, the only two upperclassmen on the roster, are expected to be regular contributors this season.
Skidmore (20-11, 3-4 Liberty League) narrowly missed a Liberty League tournament berth last season and is just a point behind Union and Vassar in the poll. The Thoroughbreds welcome back a solid nucleus with four of the team’s top six hitters and top two setters returning. Senior middle hitter Katy Ehnstrom, an All-Liberty League selection and honorable mention All-American, led the league in hitting percentage (.385) while ranking sixth in kills (3.44/set) a year ago. The older sister of Vassar’s Sara Enhstrom, Katy also led Skidmore with 60 total blocks. Senior Sophie Hettler (2.06) and sophomore Zoe Beals (1.19) ranked third and fifth on the team respectively in kills. The Thoroughbreds will look to replace graduated seniors Caite Canfield and Allie Dillon. Canfield earned All-Liberty League second-team honors while Dillon ranked second in the league in digs (5.61) from her libero position. Skidmore welcomes nine first-year players in what is the league’s largest incoming class.
St. Lawrence (19-9, 1-6 Liberty League) will look to challenge for a tournament spot with five starters and an experienced group of players returning from last season. The Saints went 18-3 in non-league matches last year, but dropped a number of close league matches. Of the six league losses, four of the matches went either four or five sets. Sophomore outside hitter Natalie Piper was one of the league’s top rookies last season as she led St. Lawrence and finished fourth in the Liberty League with 3.65 kills per set. Piper, an All-Liberty League second-team selection, also led the team and finished third in the league with 0.47 aces per set. A pair of seniors, middle hitter Amanda Teppo and right side Marissa Parker join Piper to form a solid front line. Teppo was the league leader in blocks (1.16) while also contributing 1.56 kills. Parker ranked seventh in the league in blocks (0.60) while adding 1.62 kills. The Saints will look to replace graduated outside hitter Grace Kelly and setter Ally Good.
Bard (9-19, 0-7 Liberty League) will be looking to improve upon last season’s nine-win total as the Raptors return five starters from a year ago. Senior libero Emily Anastasi ranked as one of the league’s top defensive players last season as she led Bard and finished third in the Liberty League with 4.96 assists per set. Senior outside hitter/right side Marcela Talamantes led the team with 184 kills, 241.5 points, 49 service aces and 2.74 kills per set. Sophomore outside hitter Storm Brookhard (1.83 kills, 2.66 digs) was one of Bard’s most productive first-year players. Senior setter Jewel Smith (5.50 assists) ranked sixth in the Liberty League in assists per set.
2019 Liberty League Volleyball Preseason Poll
Place. Team, Points (First Place Votes)
1. Ithaca, 48 (6)
2. RIT, 42 (1)
3. Clarkson, 38 (1)
4t. Union, 24
4t. Vassar, 24
6. Skidmore, 23
7. St. Lawrence, 18
8. Bard, 7