Volleyball 2023 Season Preview

Eagles Make History in 2022

The Juniata women's volleyball team capped off an impressive season with a dominant performance in the NCAA Division III National Volleyball Championship title match as they defeated Trinity University (Texas), 3-0 (25-17, 25-11, 25-23), to leave no doubt that they were the best team in the country.

The team won its 27th consecutive game, 34th overall, and it was the 23rd match of the season they won in three sets. For the Eagles, it was their third national title, as they became one of just five women's volleyball programs to have won three national championships. They were also the first program in the history of the Landmark Conference to win a National Championship, with the previous two occurring while they competed in the Middle Atlantic Conference.

The Eagles finished the year 34-1, having avenged their only loss to Trinity earlier in the season (3-1) in the National Championship game.

Postseason Infomation

The top six teams in the conference at the end of the regular season will advance to the 2023 Landmark Conference Volleyball Tournament.

The format features two first-round games on November 7, followed by the semifinals on November 9, and the championship game on November 11.

Preseason Coaches Poll

The excitement is building as the Landmark Conference releases its Preseason Volleyball Poll, providing a sneak peek into the forthcoming volleyball season.

Juniata College dominates the poll, securing the top spot with an 81 points and earning nine first-place votes. A powerhouse in the conference, Juniata College is positioned as the team to beat.

The University of Scranton follows closely in second place, tallying 73 points and securing the final first-place vote. Susquehanna University claims the third spot with a solid 60 points. Elizabethtown College secures fourth place with 58 points, while Catholic University takes fifth place, amassing 52 points. Drew University lands in sixth place with 39 points to round out the top-six teams.

Moravian University claims the seventh position with 33 points, followed by Lycoming College (21 points), Goucher College (19 points), and Wilkes University (14 points) to round out the poll.

Catholic University

• Head Coach: Heather Stout (3rd Season)
• 2022 Record: 15-16 (3-4 Landmark)

After a seven-win jump in 2022, Heather Stout returns six starters from her squad including standout freshman outside hitter Halie Murphy. Murphy was second on the team (behind graduated Brittany Connatser) with 292 kills, posting 2.81 kills per set as a freshman. Murphy had 10 or more kills in 12 contests last season including a career-high 23 kill performance vs. Widener in September.

She is joined by senior captain Olivia Blondin who totaled 216 kills as a junior while also finishing second on the team with 265 digs. Both starting middles return for Catholic in sophomore Erin Faughan and junior Grace Guerin. Faughan led the team in hitting percentage (.276) in 2022 while Guerin led the team with 77 blocks.

Senior setter Sydney Sheppard is also back after handing out 805 assists in her first season with the Cardinals. On defense, Gaby Hernandez-Ferrauioli returns after a 2022 season that saw her battle through injuries to lead the team in digs (261).

Brynne Burgess and Izzy Steinberg also played big roles on defense in 2022.

Drew University

• Head Coach: Alyssa Broccoli (3rd Season)
• 2022 Record: 17-12 (2-5 Landmark)

The Drew University women's volleyball team enters its third season as a varsity program under Head Coach Alyssa Broccoli.

The team returns numerous starters from last season's squad that finished 17-12 and won a pair of Landmark Conference matches.

Sophomores Teeya Desgoutte (1.82 kps) and Marissa Guajardo (1.08 kps) are among the team's top offensive returners while both liberos - juniors Lauren Gaza (5.71 dps) and Kiara Vasquez (2.02 dps) - are also back this season.

Elizabethtown College

• Head Coach: EJ Smith (1st Season)
• 2022 Record: 23-7 (5-2 Landmark)

Elizabethtown prepares for their first season under head coach EJ Smith in 2023. The Blue Jays are ready to make an appearance once again in the Landmark Conference Tournament as they return five starters after graduating outside hitter, Bryanna Miller.

Etown returns a libero, right side, a setter and two middles to the starting lineup with the support of the three seniors, Kambrie Hepler (L), Katie Scaggs (MB), and Georgiana Kahley (OH). Scaggs and Hepler were both named to the Landmark All-Conference second team in 2022. Scaggs was second in Landmark in hitting percentage (.337) and blocks (86).

Hepler recorded her 1,000-career dig early last season and was third in the Landmark in digs (544) and fourth in digs per set (5.18) a year ago. Gracie Britten and sophomore setters, Jena Minnick and Emma Bitner will also be major contributors for the Blue Jays this season. The squad looks to fill in some gaps with other returning players as well as some first years looking to make a name for themselves in the conference.

With a tough nonconference schedule the Blue Jays look to test themselves early to help better prepare Etown for the rigor of the Landmark Conference.

“I hope to continue the success that has been set by the team and the coaches that have come before me. I am excited to lead the Blue Jays as the new Etown women’s volleyball coach.” - Head Coach, EJ Smith

Goucher College

• Head Coach: Maggie Catherina (3rd Season)
• 2022 Record: 4-23 (0-7 Landmark)

The Gophers bring back a veteran squad with 11 returners from 2022.

Among those returning are fifth-year Nicole Kovach, who posted 434 digs last season and ranked among the conference leaders in digs per set. First year Kailee Turner led Goucher last season in kills (187) while also registering 251 assists and 150 digs. Classmate Lucy Hendricks added 143 kills, while Riley Kocell led the Gophers in assists with 356.

Five newcomers, a sophomore transfer and four first years, will complement the veteran core.

“ I’m excited to see the effort and hard work finally come to fruition. Focusing on building a stable foundation, full of culture, success, and relentless drive; this team is ready to “Show Up and Show Out”! They bring a mentality of discipline, grit and unity to the court every day.” - Head Coach, Maggie Catherina

Juniata College

• Head Coach: Heather Pavlik (13th Season)
• 2022 Record: 34-1 (7-0 Landmark)

The defending National Champion Eagles return 16 including first team AVCA All-American Mackenzie Coley, Second Team All Americans Olivia Foley, Kiona Sky Rousset-Hernandez, and Honorable Mention Lily Podolan as they embark on the 2023 campaign.

Head coach Heather Pavlik will once again lead the team through a gauntlet of a schedule that features 11 teams that made the NCAA Tournament the previous season.

Juniata opens the year on the road at Johns Hopkins on September 1st.

“Our entire staff is really looking forward to getting this group into the gym. We had a good spring with the returners and are excited to see what the freshmen will add to this group. The level of play in the gym should be very high and create a great competitive environment. We want to enjoy the journey and allow this group to blaze their own new path!” - Head Coach, Heather Pavlik

Lycoming College

• Head Coach: Tim McMahon (23rd Season)
• 2022 Record: 11-13 (2-6 MAC)

With a corps of nine juniors, the Lycoming College volleyball team has gone through the growing pains of a young team during the past two years, but with three returning All-MAC Freedom players in the mix, the Warriors are ready to make some noise in their first year in the Landmark Conference.

The team’s strength will be on defense, where juniors Ali Koval and Kendall Myers have both earned Honorable Mention All-MAC Freedom honors in their career, while sophomore Cameron Upcraft was also an honorable mention all-conference selection as a middle blocker.

“We have a good mix of talented players who have a couple years of NCAA experience now and a big group of incoming players that we think can make an impact as well. We’re going to work to balance that mix out and see what we can do in the best Division III volleyball conference in America.” - Head Coach Tim McMahon

Moravian University

• Head Coach: Shelley Bauder (31st Season)
• 2022 Record: 12-18 (1-6 Landmark)

The Greyhounds have 11 letterwinners and four starters back this fall as the squad looks to challenge for a Landmark Conference Tournament berth.

Moravian has its top six hitters returning in 2023 as well as three players from the back row.

Head Coach Shelley Bauder has some holes to fill during camp as she looks to replace her top setter and libero from the last four years.

"There will be a lot of new players in the gym this year helping raise our competition level. I'm excited to see the leadership from the upperclasswomen as we grow together and become conference contenders." - Head Coach Shelley Bauder

University of Scranton

• Head Coach: Jamie Spangler (10th Season)
• 2022 Record: 22-13 (6-1 Landmark)

Scranton returns a trio of experienced hitters up front in 2022 All-Landmark Second Team selection Erin Keaveney, senior outside hitter Stephanie Margolies and junior middle hitter Sophia Hadjiyane.

Margolies ranked fifth in the Landmark in service aces (57) and sixth in kills (328) a year ago, while Hadjiyane was seventh in total blocks (77) and ninth in hitting percentage (.262). Sophomore libero Maddie Forry is also back after leading the conference with 645 digs, the second-most in a single season in program history.

Head coach Jamie Spangler’s team will once again face a strong non-conference slate that includes 12 NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago and three that advanced to the Elite Eight.

“Very excited about the challenges this year will bring as our conference gets bigger and stronger. Each year is a new team, and I am looking forward to seeing how these athletes grow and compete. We have a ton of experience to lean on and a group that has been very intentional about their growth throughout the offseason. It is going to be a fun and exciting year!” – Head Coach Jamie Spangler

Susquehanna University

• Head Coach: Kuuipo Tom (21st Season)
• 2022 Record: 15-15 (4-3 Landmark)

Plenty of key pieces return for the River Hawks, particularly in the engine room, as setter Kiera Roach enters her junior season after starting every match as a sophomore and tallying 953 assists, the third-best total in the Landmark.

Sophomore Jessica Sack will look to take full ownership of the starting libero job after splitting reps last season but managed to lead the squad in digs as a first-year. Amanda Gore enters her junior season after playing all 30 matches last year and proving a strong force in the middle.

Gore will look to better her numbers from 2022 after leading the team in hitting percentage at .308 and tallying 83 total blocks, the fourth-most in the Landmark.

Esposito’s departure presents a big opportunity for new players to step in and fill that void, as the three-time AVCA All-American has been the focal point of SU’s offense in the last few seasons. The junior pair of Ryan Rorls and Emily Kowalski in particular will be looking to take a step forward, having finished second and third on the team in kills, respectively.

Nine new members join the team this season, with the additions coming from all over the map, including Texas, South Dakota, Colorado, and North Carolina.

“Our ambition is the same as it is every year; we want to compete against the best teams in the country. Our conference presents a great opportunity to do that with some really talented teams, and we strive to challenge ourselves outside the conference as well. There’s a lot of talent in our team and the new additions have already settled in well.” - Head Coach, Kuuipo Tom

Wilkes University

• Head Coach: Joseph Czopek (12th Season)
• 2022 Record: 8-20 (2-6 MAC)

The Colonels have a very experienced team returning to the court for the 2023 season, the program's first in the Landmark Conference.

Second Team All-Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom outside hitter Nicole Fitzpatrick along with fellow seniors libero Ali Yordy, and opposite side hitter, Hope Ousey return along with graduate student middle hitter Allison Murie and juniors, setter Alexa Cassel, middle hitter Sierra Hines, and outside hitter Alexis Reedy. All seven of these players have built a lot of collegiate playing experience for the Colonels over the past seasons. The experienced lineup will help Wilkes compete for a position in the Landmark Conference postseason.

The Wilkes women's volleyball team will also enjoy the newly renovated Marts Center which received a full facelift this summer with a new floor, bleachers, LED lighting, sound system, and scoreboards.

"Wilkes will be playing with an experienced lineup this season and look forward to competing in the highly competitive level of the Landmark Conference this fall." - Head Coach, Joseph Czopek

Where & How to Watch

Visit the Landmark Conference's landing page on the FloSports platform for more information on how to sign up and receive your discounted subscription package.

Landmark fans can watch events across all screens by downloading the FloSports app on their favorite digital and streaming services - Amazon Fire TV, ROKU, Apple TV, and Google Chromecast.