Men's Volleyball | 3/15/2021 8:53:33 AM
St. John Fisher College will look to defend its Empire 8 Championship title, as seven teams will vie for the league title. Regular season play gets underway on March 15 and concludes April 18. The league’s postseason format has changed for spring 2021, as the top six teams advance to the Empire 8 Championship Tournament, which will take place from April 20-25.
Fans can watch the action all season long, free of charge on
Empire 8 TV.
Team Capsules (Sorted by 2019 Standings)
St. John Fisher
St. John Fisher won its first Empire 8 Championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2019. Junior outside hitter Alea Steigerwald, the two-time reigning Empire 8 Player of the Year and two-time AVCA Honorable Mention All-American broke her own school record with 501 kills to go along with 68 service aces and 396 assists in 2019. She was among the top-10 nationally in kills and points per set. Senior setter Rebecca Hay, a 2019 All-Empire 8 first team selection, led the league with 999 assists last season and added 32 blocks. Sophomore Lindsey DeBonis, a 2019 All-Empire 8 honorable mention pick, will be counted on to play a larger role in 2021 after recording 287 digs and 256 kills as a first-year standout.
Houghton
Houghton finished 20-5 overall and 6-1 in league play during the 2019 season but will have to replace four of its top five point-scorers and a pair of All-Empire 8 performers in Brooke Lewandowski and Amy Huddell, who graduated. Junior setter Haley Unverdorben, a 2019 All-Empire 8 second team pick, returns after dishing out 798 assists (8.87 assists per set) last season, while adding a team-best 60 service aces and 203 digs. Classmate Jenna Bittinger will be expected to play a key role offensively after slamming 153 kills and 46 service aces to go along with 192 digs in 2019.
Nazareth
The Golden Flyers are looking for their record ninth Empire 8 Championship in 2021 and second in the last three seasons. Nazareth advanced to the Empire 8 Championship in 2019 and return six players, including Libero/Defensive Specialist of the Year McKenzie Hart. Hart, a junior, led the league with 508 digs and 4.46 digs per set in 2019. Senior Julia Cavanaugh is back for her senior season after leading the Golden Flyers with 55 blocks, while adding 101 kills in 2019. Six highly touted newcomers will join Nazareth for the spring season.
Elmira
The Soaring Eagles advanced to the Empire 8 semifinals in 2019 and will lean on their strong senior class for even greater success this spring. Senior middle hitter Savannah Terry, an All-Empire 8 second team selection in 2019, slammed 180 kills and hit .272 last season and has 165 career blocks during her Elmira career. Classmates Lauren Smith and Lydia Milligan, along with junior middle hitter Kaylene Sauschuck all were among the team leaders in kills during the 2019 season. Smith led the Soaring Eagles with 203 kills and added 219 digs. Senior setter Kassi Hastings is back for her final season with the Purple and Gold after emerging as a team leader in 2019, dishing out 712 assists to go along with 221 digs.
Alfred
The Saxons welcome 11 returning players and seven first-year talents as they look to get back to the E8 Tournament in 2021. Senior Sarah Raeman finished second on the team last season with 219.5 points in 2019 and played in a team-high 100 sets. Classmate Julia Fanning led the team last season with 310 assists, while sophomore Rylee Russin will aim to build upon her successful 2019 season. First-year standouts Jamie Chun, Honor Edmands and Kailee Vanderlinden are expected to make an immediate impact.
Sage
The Gators return seven players from last season’s squad and bring in a talented group of 10 newcomers for 2021. Junior outside hitter/setter Emma Parkington led Sage with 206 and 30 service aces and was second with 282 digs during the 2019 season. Seniors Brooke Monty, Courtney Formosa and Renee Martin will provide leadership and have an opportunity to excel in 2021.
Utica
Utica has a host of players looking to make a greater impact in 2020. Senior outside hitter Meghan Romaguera led Utica’s 2019 squad in kills (157) and digs (244) and is also the defending Empire 8 Conference Indoor Track and Field Pole Vault Champion. Junior right side Rosemarie Fesko led the Pioneers in hitting percentage and was second in blocks and third in kills. The Pioneers have added seven newcomers who will look to make an impact in 2021.
^ Hartwick and Keuka have opted out of league play for the 2021 spring season.
Final 2019 Empire 8 Women’s Volleyball Standings
St. John Fisher (23-11, 7-0 E8) – League Champions
Houghton (20-5, 6-1 E8)
Nazareth (13-18, 5-2 E8)
Elmira (13-16, 4-3 E8)
Hartwick (16-11, 3-4 E8)
Alfred (9-19, 2-5 E8)
Sage (4-24, 1-6 E8)
Utica (2-25, 0-7 E8)
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com and
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