Preseason Video Interviews

ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College women's volleyball team is prepared to hit the road for its season-opening match on Wednesday, September 6, when the Soaring Eagles visit non-conference foe Pitt-Bradford for a 7:00 p.m. tilt.

EC witnessed a downturn last season, winning only six matches and failing to return to the Empire 8 Conference Tournament. However, with a new season, a flock of incoming talent and a veteran head coach, the Soaring Eagles are confident they can return to their winning ways.

The 2017 season will mark the 30th for Rhonda Faunce as head coach of the EC women's volleyball program, whose 582 career victories rank among the winningest active head coaches at the Division III level. Only twice in her previous 29 years at the helm have the Purple and Gold finished with back-to-back losing seasons, a promising sign as the team seeks to rebound this fall.

Last year's roster was young – Elmira had just three upperclassmen – and the lack of experience often showed, especially in matches that went to a fourth or fifth set. While this year's squad only boasts one member from the Class of 2018, the Soaring Eagles have a core group with seven returners from the Class of 2019. Add to that five incoming freshmen, three sophomores and one junior transfer, the EC women are looking forward to erasing memories of the year that was in 2016.

"Coming off of last year, my expectations are that we don't have two back-to-back seasons like that," Faunce said. "Coach Weathers did a lot of road work trying to get a new class. Our five freshman are talented and our transfer is super-talented. We think we're going to have a lot more wins and we're going to be a little bit happier around here this year."

Throughout the preseason, Faunce has emphasized the importance of not only fundamentals, but conditioning. It was an area of concern that she believes cost the team several matches last fall, which may reflect in EC's 3-6 record in matches that lasted longer than three sets.

"Last year, for instance, I think we focused on skills…but I think there are some matches that we lost because we weren't tough enough," she said. "This year we are going to be tough, and if we lose a match it's because the other team beat us. We might not be the most talented, even though I think our talent took a step up from last year, but we're definitely going to be the toughest."

Setter
Elmira has two setters available on this year's roster, headlined by returning starter Taylor Kaznowski '19. The third-year Soaring Eagle already ranks among the top 10 in program history with 1,450 assists through her first two collegiate seasons and is a proven leader on the court. Alongside Kaznowski is freshman Kassi Hastings '21, the younger sister of junior Karina Hastings '19. Although the starting job is all but secured by the veteran, Faunce noted that Kassi Hastings' presence has provided several options, such as the potential to run a 6-2 rotation.

Libero-Defensive Specialist
The battle for the starting libero position has been one of the tightest this preseason. Frontrunners for the job are upperclassmen Kasey Campbell '19 and Rachel Katzenberger '19. The former worked her way into that role by the end of her sophomore season and finished second on the team with 2.91 digs per set and 31 aces. Katzenberger will be making a permanent move to libero from the outside, but proved to be a worthy candidate with a 2.42 digs per set average last season.

Classmate Olivia Harnois '19 and sophomore Cassie Potter '20 saw limited time on the court in 2016, but provide valuable depth at the position.

Middle Blocker
Due to the graduation of Alicia Day '17 and Kelsey Ray '17, there is another position battle brewing in the middle of the court. While it will be hard to replace Day's 6-foot-2 frame and team-leading .250 attack percentage, Karina Hastings and Courtney VanBuren '18 are looking to crack the starting lineup. Both stand at 5 feet 8 inches, but as upperclassmen they bring the experience that 5-foot-10-inch freshman Savannah Terry '21 lacks. She may be a rookie, but Faunce noted Terry is mature beyond her years and brings a competitive attitude from a successful Owego Free Academy program that won a state title in 2015.  Another freshman, Fallon Huck '21, has been described by Faunce as "the strongest on the team" and could translate that power into some hard hits at the net.

Outside Hitter
Perhaps the only position on the court that isn't up for grabs is on the outside, thanks to the pedigree of two-time E8 All-Conference Honoree Natalie Schieder '19 and junior transfer Tiara John '19. Schieder led the Soaring Eagles and the Empire 8 with 4.00 kills per set as a sophomore, a mark that ranked 29th in all of Division III. John, who has traveled over 2,000 miles from Chandler-Gilbert Community College in Chandler, Arizona, is a welcomed addition at the outsider hitter position. An accomplished three-sport athlete in high school, John ranked second on the Coyotes with 128 kills as a freshman in 2015.

From the Class of 2021, Lydia Milligan '21 and Lauren Smith '21 will provide much-needed depth on the offensive attack. Both were well-decorated student-athletes at their respective secondary schools and have the potential to develop into valuable contributors as freshmen as they grow more acclimated to the rigors of college volleyball.

Right Side
Competing for time on the right side are sophomore Sabrina Didas '20 and junior Sam Chadbourne '19. Both are relatively inexperienced, but at 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet 2 inches, respectively, they stand as two of the tallest players on this year's roster. They'll both look to utilize that height and their lengthy wingspans to rack up blocks at the net. For a team that ranked last in the Empire 8 in blocks per set (0.76), production from these two could go a long way.

In addition to Didas and Chadbourne, Jena Gatto '20 will be in the mix for time on the right side once she's fully healthy.

Season Opener
The Purple and Gold will travel to Bradford, Pennsylvania, to take on the Panthers of Pitt-Bradford at the KOA Arena on Wednesday, September 6, at 7:00 p.m. Pitt-Bradford is coming off a 2016 campaign in which it captured the program's second-ever Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) title and advanced to the NCAA Division III Tournament with a school-record 25 wins. Although they were voted the No. 1 team in the AMCC Preseason Coaches' Poll, the Panthers are without 2015 AMCC Newcomer of the Year and 2016 Player of the Year, Kirsten Platz, who led the team in kills (333) and blocks (108) as a sophomore.

Pitt-Bradford opened the 2017 season at the Greyhound Premiere Invitational, hosted by Moravian College, over the weekend. All four matches ended in 3-0 scores, but the Panthers came out victorious only once in a straight-set sweep of Bard College.